i met a woman at my first NiSS rollerblade contest back in '96 in new york. we remain friends to this day. she is incredibly supportive of my pursuits and often tells me that i am the strongest person she knows. i may have the strength to move more dead weight than she can, and i can move it over greater distances than she can, but my strength pales in comparison to her's. she has an inner strength the likes of which i have never seen. of which i could never emulate although i wish that i could.
she has twice faced the disease and both times she has beaten it. her attitude throughout was amazing and incredibly inspirational. she simply found out everything she needed to do and set about to do it. in comparison i find out that i have to sit out a few years of competitive bodybuilding. i completely fall apart and i drown my sorrows in 25lbs of cookies. i ask you, who really is the stronger woman?
today we had the conversation i never thought we would have again. it is time for her to fight again and still her attitude does not change. her approach is the same as before. suddenly it doesn't really matter who gets to turn pro and who doesn't. suddenly it doesn't matter which ontario federation is in the wrong. suddenly it doesn't matter that my shoulder hurts and i can't bench what i could before.
she isn't able to train at all and i know how much she misses it. the first time she got sick, i was still on the rollerblade tour. i painted her initials onto my helmet and i told her that every time i skated, she was skating with me. it probably made me feel better more than it really did anything for her, but maybe, just maybe it put some positive energy in the universe. i don't skate anymore but i do train so from now on every workout i do, she will be right there with me. i hope to send as much positive energy her way as i can.
she is hands down, the strongest person i know.
No comments:
Post a Comment