She asked me the hard question. She, the two time Olympic medalist, who knew what questions to ask, who had proved more than ever needed to be proved. She who always smiled at me, yet had an intimate knowledge of the dark places where most fear to go. She understood the depths of pain as well as the victories that happen when that pain is ignored.
She tried to send me coffee, when I was in a place that didn't have any. Just the thought of that effort makes me smile. But yet she asked me the question, I think, already knowing the answer.
Karen Kraft asked me if it was a game changer, this experience with MSF. I took that to mean, was this experience enough to change my ideals, my attitudes, and perhaps, my life? Was medalling in two different Olympic competitions a game changer to her? Damn right it was. But there are only a few who can relate to her experience. And there are only a few who can relate to the MSF experience. Was it the medalling that changed her, or was it the journey to get there? For me, was it being in Sri Lanka with MSF, or was it the process that made that possible?
So the answer is an emphatic YES, this is a game changer. But how do you change the game? The rules of the game may not change. What changes is how we play. And how we play depends on who we are, and who we are depends on our experiences, and that is why this is a game changer. So how do we change how we play? We reach into those places where no one else dares to look, and we bring out the best of ourselves. We ignore the comforts of home and we strive to be better. We look at our scars, and we remember where we got them. Sometimes those scars may hurt, but they are what paint the picture of who we are, and who we will become. The more scars, the prettier the picture.
So the game has changed. She knew it had. But she asked, knowing the answer, because she could. And I answered her because I could, that, yes, it was a game changer.
She tried to send me coffee, when I was in a place that didn't have any. Just the thought of that effort makes me smile. But yet she asked me the question, I think, already knowing the answer.
Karen Kraft asked me if it was a game changer, this experience with MSF. I took that to mean, was this experience enough to change my ideals, my attitudes, and perhaps, my life? Was medalling in two different Olympic competitions a game changer to her? Damn right it was. But there are only a few who can relate to her experience. And there are only a few who can relate to the MSF experience. Was it the medalling that changed her, or was it the journey to get there? For me, was it being in Sri Lanka with MSF, or was it the process that made that possible?
So the answer is an emphatic YES, this is a game changer. But how do you change the game? The rules of the game may not change. What changes is how we play. And how we play depends on who we are, and who we are depends on our experiences, and that is why this is a game changer. So how do we change how we play? We reach into those places where no one else dares to look, and we bring out the best of ourselves. We ignore the comforts of home and we strive to be better. We look at our scars, and we remember where we got them. Sometimes those scars may hurt, but they are what paint the picture of who we are, and who we will become. The more scars, the prettier the picture.
So the game has changed. She knew it had. But she asked, knowing the answer, because she could. And I answered her because I could, that, yes, it was a game changer.
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