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Do Only Our Best

 


Do Only Our Best
When I was in elementary school there was this little boy.  Yes, he was maybe as little as I was back then, even in fifth grade. His brown burnt tinge colored hair lay on top of his high Irish freckled, sunny, Catholic face. It's as though I just saw him yesterday. That yesterday being nearly fifty years ago. You see I describe Kevin, Kevin McCormick,  that was his name.  I describe him as I see him in my mind's eye, from when we were kids. 

The crippled, yet happy go-lucky boy, properly dressed,  properly quaffed, walking to school with such extraordinary jerky motion in every stride of his walk.

He was the nice boy.  From what I understood,  he came from a strict upbringing. I gather it was due to the large Catholic family he was born into. I don't ever recall Kevin being called to the Principall's office,  nor receiving detention. His perpetual smile remains with me.

What this all brings me to is, and no I don't mean to sound like we need to give out more trophies,  like for 6th place. Nope, not going there. But, what's fair is fair.  However,  if "What's fair IS fair'. Then tell me this: Why oh why aren't the Paralympics on regular national television, as the Olympics of the more fortunately able graced athletes were just a few weeks ago? Not the extra channels you have to pay for. I'll wait...

Believe it or not, I look forward to watching all athletes in whatever their achievements with or without noticeable struggles. Why? Because it's the human spirit we need to witness that at times provides us more life.  Yes, there is more to life than what we view as perfection.

Perfection is not really where it's at. It's the survival beyond the seemingly perfect that matters.---Jody-Lynn Reicher 

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