True Perseverance

This is the first year I watched the Paralympics.  I was floored at all the athletes with their skills and talents.  They looked past what people see and became amazing.  I could only dream of accomplishing what they have.  Every single one of these athletes are symbols of true perseverance. We all could learn a lesson or two from them.

Watching these athletes compete was awe inspiring.  They do what they love with nothing holding them back.  If there is an obstacle, they find a way to beat it. There is no stopping them.  It’s not only a young person’s challenges.  The ages I heard while watching started at nineteen and went to fifty-one.  The fifty-one year old earned a gold medal in her event.  It was amazing to watch.

I thought it was incredible that there are events for the visually impaired.  It’s a team event- the athlete and their guide.  They have ways to talk to their partner who is wearing a bright vest.  It’s genius!  It was stunning to see how in sync they were on every event.  The trust between the partners is a key to a successful run.  You can see the guide constantly looking back to check on their partner even with the mic set.

What shocked me was some of the athletes had professional jobs.  The ones I remember was an American scientist and I think it was a French doctor.  How they fit training in their demanding work schedule floors me.  Most of us hardly find time to breathe on days we call busy.  But hearing and watching them makes me wonder are we actually that busy?

Like the Olympics, you have the certain sports that meet up often throughout the year.  So, you see the athletes from around the world meet up like it’s a reunion and congratulating each other.  We see this only every four years, when there are competitions every year.  The Paralympics are shorter than the Olympics, but just as interesting to watch.