8.10.2008

Dream Big


It’s funny how life comes back around sometimes.

A few decades ago I sat on the floor in my childhood home in front of the T.V. and watched every second of the gymnastics portion of the Olympics, convinced that in four years I was going to go up on the podium and put the little crown of flowers on my head and wave to the crowd wearing my gold metal just like my idol, Mary Lou Retton. Never mind that my most stunning skill at the time was a back walkover.

In a few days, I am going to be glued to my own T.V,. watching another adorable pixie named Shawn Johnson win the gold for the U.S., and my gymnast daughter, whose dream has always been to go to the Olympics, is going to watch with me. I hope she isn’t too old to think that she could be out there, sticking her landings and waving to the crowd.

I hope one of her sisters doesn’t say: “Don’t be an idiot.” You’ll never be good enough to go to the Olympics!” like several of mine did.

I hope she will see that some of the skills the athletes are doing are skills she is working on now and realize that nothing is impossible.

I hope she will dream big.

1 comment:

YLU said...

First, I love the fact that you overachieved to 23 mailboxes in honor of Abby's birthday. As long as she keeps having birthdays and you keep pushing, she's going to keep you fit. Twenty years from now, you'll be doing 43 mailboxes (maybe at a slower pace, but that's still 12,900 yards at an average of 150 yards between mailboxes, assuming you not only go out to mb #43, but also return home!

Second, watch your mail for some Olympic doo-dads for Bridget and/or you (probably her, but you can usurp some if you see something that appeals to you). Unfortunately, some of the pins I wanted were on backorder, but I got some stuff that should arrive in time to catch the tail end of these Olympic Games.

Does she have a favorite mascot?