Become What You Want to Be
~Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R., The Sower's Seeds ~
Let me tell you about a little girl
who was born into a very poor family in a shack in the Backwoods of Tennessee.
She was the 20th of 22 children, prematurely born and frail. Her survival was
doubtful. When she was four years old she had double pneumonia and scarlet
fever - a deadly combination that left her with a paralyzed and useless left
leg. She had to wear an iron leg brace. Yet she was fortunate in having a
mother who encouraged her.
Well, this mother told her little
girl, who was very bright, that despite the brace and leg, she could do
whatever she wanted to do with her life. She told her that all she needed to do
was to have faith, persistence, courage and indomitable spirit.
So at nine years of age, the little
girl removed the leg brace, and she took the step the doctors told her she
would never take normally. In four years, she developed a rhythmic stride,
which was a medical wonder. Then this girl got the notion, the incredible
notion that she would like to be the world's greatest woman runner. Now, what
could she mean - be a runner with a leg like that?
At age 13, she entered a race. She
came in last - way, way last. She entered every race in high school, and in every
race she came in last. Everyone begged her quit! However, one day, she came in
next to last. And then there came a day when she won a race. From then on,
Wilma Rudolph won every race that she entered.
Wilma went to Tennessee State
University, where she met a coach named Ed Temple. Coach Temple saw the
indomitable spirit of the girl, that she was a believer and that she had great
natural talent. He trained her so well that she went to the Olympic Games.
There she was pitted against the
greatest woman runner of the day, a German girl named Jutta Heine. Nobody had
ever beaten Jutta. But in the 100-meter dash, Wilma Rudolph won. She beat Jutta
again in the 200-meters. Now Wilma had two Olympic gold medals.
Finally came the 400-meter relay. It
would be Wilma against Jutta once again. The first two runners on Wilma's team
made perfect hand-offs with the baton. But when the third runner handed the
baton to Wilma, she was so excited she dropped it, and Wilma saw Jutta taking
off down the track. It was impossible that anybody could catch this fleet and
nimble girl. But Wilma did just that! Wilma Rudolph had earned three Olympic
gold medals.
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If you have a dream and really want
to achieve it, you need to believe in yourself, work hard, and don’t let
anything distract you from becoming what you want to be.
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Stories or interesting
tidbits? Email me richmullercoach@gmail.com
Have any comments? Please leave them
in the “comment” area below
Live. Laugh. Love
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