Olympic lesson

email to my grands.  

I have long thought that I should write to my grandchildren now and then.  Today, I wrote an email. Perhaps I should do "real" letters, though 

Dear  Acadi & Patrick, Aurora,  Esther, Jared, Samuel, Peter, Molly, and Jacob

(although I am sure Peter and Jacob are too young understand any of this)

Hi Kids,

    Have you been watching the Olympics?  I have not very much, but I did see something that impressed me.   

     I was watching Skateboarding - Street.  You may know that Skateboarding is new to the Olympics this year and has two categories - Park and Street.  Park is where they skate in those deep bowls like they have at skate parks.  Street has elements that one encounters on a city street - stairs, handrails, curbs, benches, walls, and so on.  I, personally, would rather you not do either, it looks dangerous, but anyway...  The street boarders launch themselves off a  wall or top of the steps or ramp and do various tricks.  A lot of somehow leaping on top of a handrail briefly, then flipping down to the ground at the foot of the stairs, often while rotating the board or moving their foot position,  and skating on to the next element.  I don't understand or even completely see all that they do and are judged on, but it is amazing to see anyway.  

    They do sometimes  fall.  Hard.  On cement. While going fast.  With the whole world watching.  More than I expected from Olympic athletes.   The thing is, they get up, get back on their skateboard, and keep going.  They probably have lost their chance at winning a medal.  And they are probably a bit bruised and sore.  And maybe embarrassed.  But they don't quit.  They don't give up.  They don't decide they are failures.  They keep going.  That makes them winners. 

    We all want to do what is right.  We want to be good and do good.  And sometimes, we fall down.  But we should not get down on ourselves.  We should not give up because we are not perfect - or even close.  We should get up and keep trying.  

   Our former Stake President, Alan Fisher (your moms may remember him) just got back from a stint as a mission president and visited our ward today.  Anyway, he told us about an incident he saw while watching the gymnasts competing on the rings.  One fellow leaped up to the rings, started to do a maneuver, and fell.  His coach ran over and said some encouraging words.  The gymnast jumped up, grabbed the rings, began his routine, and fell again!  His coach came out and talked to him again.  The gymnast started over and fell a third time!  Again his coach came out and spoke to him, encouraging him.  The athlete jumped to the rings, did a very complicated maneuver and completed his performance.  He did not medal, but he was a winner.  He can be proud of himself for facing fear, embarrassment, and disappointment, and doing what he started out to do. 

    Sometimes we will have trouble and fall, but God will still love us, and encourage us, and wants us to keep trying.  God will give us a 2nd chance, a 3rd chance, a 4th chance - as many chances as we need if we keep trying.  

    Also,  we should be kind to others when they fall and disappoint us.  

   

    You are winners.  I love you.  God loves you.  I hope you love you!

love, 

    Grandma Barbara