| |
| |
|
Inspirational Information |
|
|
|
The Bouncer (Turning Defeat into Victory)
I'm a pretty competitive guy, though I try to keep it in perspective. But there are times, often when I least expect it, when life teaches me lessons about the true nature of competition. One of those lessons came on a warm spring day several years ago, in a small town outside Portland, Oregon. I used to love to watch the high school track team train-especially the distance runners. But that year, my eye was drawn to one girl in particular. Her running style was all wrong-she ran with her arms tucked close to her body, bouncing up and down in a way that must have driven her coaches crazy. My athletic mind scoffed at her strange style, I began to think of her as "the Bouncer." But the more I watched her, the more I began to notice something else about this awkward young girl. While she ran, she was oblivious to everything and everybody as she bounced around the track, and always wore a smile that could only be described as serene. For her, running had taken on significance that was difficult to define, and in spite of myself, that young woman with the angelic smile began to intrigue me. Even so, I couldn't help wondering how she was going to fare once the real track season began-and it didn't take long to find out. In early May, the high school hosted its first big track, featuring athletes from every school in the conference. Since the conference ran the distance races with both boys and girls on the track at the same time, a large group of athletes gathered at the starting line for the two-mile run-including the Bouncer. The gun sounded, and the runners took off in a multi-colored flash. That year, our school had a very gifted runner named Dave, and he quickly took the lead, one he would never relinquish for that entire season, because he never lost a race. But the Bouncer quickly fell far behind the pack and as the race progressed. Dave lapped her once, twice, and finally a third time. In fact, every runner, male and female, lapped the Bouncer at least once before it was over. But she just kept running, arms tucked close to her sides, never varying her stride, bouncing up and down-and always wearing the same angelic smile. I found myself being embarrassed for that ungainly girl who was being lapped again and again. Surely she must be mortified, I thought-but it didn't seem to bother the Bouncer at all. She didn't even seem to notice, and just kept doing exactly what she was doing, never changing her stride. A short while later, the crowd rose to its feet, cheering Dave to another victory, followed by scattered applause for every athlete who crossed the finish line after him. It wasn't long before the Bouncer was the only one left on the track, running all by herself. That poor kid, I thought. What must she be feeling? Why didn't she just give up? There was nothing at stake now, and nothing to be gained by finishing so far behind the pack. Still, the Bouncer never faltered, and her serene expression never changed. After what seemed like an eternity, the Bouncer finally approached the final turn, a full five minutes behind even the slowest runner. But then, something strange began to happen. As the Bouncer entered the home stretch, a cheer began to rise up from the bleachers. It rose and swelled, growing louder with each stride the Bouncer took toward the finish line until, finally, every person in the stands, regardless of which team they'd come to support, stood and cheered as if the fate of the entire meet hinged on this one lone girl, bouncing toward the finish line. The Bouncer turned on no extra burst of speed or big kick down the straightaway. She just continued to run exactly as she'd been doing from the opening gun, smiling so sweetly that it made my heart ache. But as she neared the finish line, the roar of the crowd could be heard echoing throughout the valley. And in the midst of all that noise and celebration, the mighty, invincible Dave walked out onto the track and held out his arm to slap the Bouncer's hand as she crossed the finish line. It was an incredible moment. I've seen hundreds of races since that day, and I've seen thousands of runners cross the finish line. But I've never seen anything that embodied the true spirit of victory as I watched on that warm spring so long ago, when I saw a race won-and I mean won-by an ungainly girl I had laughingly called the Bouncer. So here's to you, Bouncer, wherever you may be, and may your smile always be as sweet as it was on that day. From Spider's Night on the Boom © Gary E. Anderson. All rights reserved. About The Author Gary Anderson is a freelance writer, editor, ghostwriter, and manuscript analyst, living on a small Iowa farm. He's published more than 500 articles and four books. He's also ghosted a dozen books, edited more than 30 full-length manuscripts, produced seven newsletters, and has done more than 800 manuscript reviews for various publishers around the nation. If you need writing or editing help, visit Gary's website at www.abciowa.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Inspirational - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Trust the Lord and Go to The Hole This is my new favorite quote. Now to understand it you must know what "go to the hole" means. Message From An Angel - Is It Yours ? This is a message from an Angel. Can you relate? Is it yours?Golden light shining in the darkness. A Faux Pas Is A Mistake In A Tuxedo Everyone who is anybody has a hobby or at least entertains the idea. Hobbies range from sports to crafts to reading and even traveling. Oldies Direct Answers - Column for the week of January 5, 2004I am a captain in the Marine Corps. A year ago my wife cheated on me with another Marine. How to Pray on Water! Announcing Life-Changing Bible Code - Discover Amazing Water Scriptures! Water is the source of life, yet so few of us understand how to navigate its spiritual and inspirational powers.In 2001, I spent the summer in Israel launching a special project for the protection of the water-starved Sea of Galilee. Five Minutes Before the Miracle Even though this article was next on my idea list, and I write them in order whether I want to or not, I REALLY didn't want to write this article. Why not? Because it's about not giving up five minutes before the miracle-and I'm in the process of doing just that. Dream Board DREAM IT, CREATE IT, BECOME ITIf you've been reading my newsletter for awhile, you know that I continue to incorporate and teach the 'how to' principles behind successfully achieving our goals and dreams. One important piece of wisdom I've gained is that nothing happens, no forward steps are taken until we first have a dream. The Power of A.S.K.ing Have you ever had the opportunity to follow-up on a sales lead? Recently, I had such an opportunity to reconnect with an organization that I had been trying to secure as a client. Due to some new events and after multiple unreturned phone calls, I decided to ask for the decision maker within the department. False Prophets Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 12, 2003Of all the relationship advice columns, I like and respect yours most because you never encourage using manipulation or "tricks" in relationships.I recently turned 30 and am considered an attractive woman. The Four Emotions that Can Lead to Life Change Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. What Footsie Taught Us! We have just inherited a rag, tag and bobtail of a dog called 'Footsie'. She was found three weeks ago wandering around outside a local restaurant for a couple of days looking for food. Night of the Living Dead For many people, life has become as dull and despairing as death. We suffer from spiritual inertia. Thoughts Are Like Seeds - Are You Planting Flowers or Weeds? "You can't harvest what you don't sow. So plant your desires, gently nurture them and they will be rewarded with abundance. Its About That Time As we've reached the half way point of the year I'm thinking this might be a good time to pull up and evaluate things. Look back over the first 6 months, and look ahead to the upcoming days and months. Universal Thought Systems Language Part 2 Before we are able to use the Universal Thought System in a positive expansive manner, we must learn to use certain words in our language more effectively. The prime characteristic of the Universal Thought System is its consistency. Maintaining Honesty and Integrity (Excerpted From Cultivating An Unshakable Character)For a leader, honesty and integrity are absolutely essential to survival. A lot of business people don't realize how closely they're being watched by their subordinates. Changing the World... One Book at a Time Ever read a book that's changed your life? Most of the today's most beloved authors and spiritual teachers can recall a book that started them on the journey toward spirituality and success.In fact, that question has become the foundation for a new book club called the Transformational Book Circle (TBC), created by bestselling author and relationship expert Gay Hendricks. Ignorance and Fantasy Are beliefs not often the children of ignorance and fantasy? Consider the heavenly view of the world that young souls entertain at the height of their innocence, when their youth has been surrounded by love and filled with happiness. Hear their laughter. Create Resistance or Creative Acceptance Resistance is not a new word, but for many of us awareness of resistance is new. In Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, resistance is defined: "to withstand, to strive against, to exert force in opposition, to counteract, defeat or frustrate. Beyond the River: Kabbalahs Guidance for Our Times "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius -- and a lot of courage -- to move ourselves in the opposite direction.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
