posted
As many of you know, we own and operate Giggle Ridge, a showcase for our skills.
We are at the start of a busy summer season. And we get many , many folks of all types through.
Yesterday we had a wonderful group of students through. They were a class of 12 year olds and were camping locally for the weekend. As part of their year end outing they came to play mini golf at our facility. And what a fun bunch they were.
One student in particular caught my eye... a pretty young girl. She was popular with her class mates, obviously a leader. Perky and very animated, full of life, she was truely a delight. She set the tone for the entire class.
But this girl was different from anyone else there. She had no hands and no feet.
She was very independant. She carefully chose her ball and the right length club, somewhat shorter than the rest of the class. She then hopped from her motorized wheel chair and proceeded to play a round of golf with the rest of her class. She asked for no special treatment. And her class mates treated her as an equal... status she obviously earned.
I observed her as she played with the rest. She played an honest game (more than I could say of many of the others)... and among the 20 students came out on top.
What an example! What an inspiration!
While the rest of us try to figure out a way to get an edge... and demand a handicap in our favor in the game of golf and life, here's a kid that could legitimately demand the field be tipped her way. And yet she chose to play on a level field. and still won. What determination. She was awesome!
If we think about it, we have little to complain about in our lives.
-dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8756 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I never have understood people that complain,when they have in thier power to change the situation they are complaining about! Funny how every thing and every one has to change for the person that is doing the complaining. The young lady you discribed obviously is very secure about herself. A lesson for all to learn.
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Ricky Simpson Simpson Signs South Central VA, USA "railroader aspiring to be fulltime SignArtist." Posts: 246 | From: VA | Registered: Jan 2000
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posted
Dan, and all you people are some of the good one's,I have a son with a disability,and we get alot of looks when we go swimmin as he has had surgery and has a pretty big battle scar on his belly.I could just flip when I see people pointing at my son,But then there's guys like u that were lookin in "awe"of what this kid can accomplish,Next time we go swimmin that's what I'm gonna think,positive and not negitive.After seeing kids in ICU you learn to value life a little more.Again thanx for the post.
-------------------- "I can draw anything but unemployment" Steve Spiry Madd Artist Murals&Signs Brandon,Mb. Canada Posts: 66 | From: Brandon,Mb. Canada | Registered: Jul 2001
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Here in my home town we have a man who is a constant source of inspiration. He is a few years younger than me and was struck with polio as a child (before the Salk vaccine). He has been completely paralyzed except for movement in the toes on one foot. He has to live in an iron lung (which most people today have never heard of) most of the day - he can only be out of it for a few hours at a time. He cannot speak or do anything for himself, other than what he can accomplish with the toes on one foot.
He could have spent the rest of his life complaining about his tough break, but he didn't.
He successfully went through public schools, then graduated from college (with honors) and now operates his own business, plus he has written a book entitled "Patience, My Foot", paints in oil and has won several awards, and now designs web pages. He lives in his own home which he purchased with profits from his company and is attended by a caregiver during the day. It is amazing to see all that he can do by just moving his toes around.
Every time I see Mike LeFan I feel ashamed at how much I complain. I've never seen him without a smile, which he can still accomplish very well.
Mike is probably one of the oldest survivors of polio. Since there are no more iron lungs, parts have to be special made when his breaks down.
I have little patience with people who complain about their "lot in life" and then make no effort to improve themselves. Mike LeFan is a supreme example of the massive will that is within us all.
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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