The First Big Day

Two contrasts exist in our family… one is the people that love the Olympic coverage on TV…the other is the people that wish it was over.

Emma, our granddaughter, was sitting at the dinner table with head in her hands. Someone asked if we had seen the one race in the eight man, canoeing. Emma glared at her plate and said nothing. I asked what she upset about. Her answer was, “Olympics, Olympics, Olympics…nothing but Olympics!”

I got the answer that I needed. Too much Olympics… it seems to take over your whole day – during this past week.

In our family we have been waiting for news of how the men’s different cycling teams did. There is one guy by the name of Zach Bell that has kept us all at the TV and the News Media steadily. You see Zach is our family!!! He is my youngest sister’s son. And after all these years he has made it close to the top.

At some point during this 24 hour period – he is in his first Olympic race/races. Of we hope… but we do not have a clue. Something is happening and we don’t know….

Great Grandma Lincoln has been glued to her TV waiting for news of Zach, her grandson. She gets “Pedal Magazine” each month scanning for shots of her grandson.

It is been fun as we have waited for news of my sister arriving in China to see her son race. She is paying $600 US dollars a night for a hotel – that is exciting I guess – for seven nights. The hotel is 3 times as much as the airfare!!

The First Big Day is backed by years of hard work and practice. Each of the competitors are in the same position – working for years before one big race, one big moment.

My life is like that too… I have worked on all that I am for 64 years – for one moment, this afternoon or tomorrow morning, or one moment next week. I am not sure what it will be – or when – or how I will do… but I know that I must be ready to do my best.

Then when it is over I will be able to say, “I have run a good race…”

When I met with Zach about two years ago he had just come in after a 25 mile run on his bike. It was a cold day in the spring – with snow flurries whipping around – and he was steaming…. He was getting ready for today. That was over two years ago.

Imagine how life would be if we all set that much effort into what we do now for the moment two years from now? But Zach has been going hard for more than four years – maybe even 8 years…. His target has never been dropped – to be there this week – today and to try his hardest!!!

A lot of emphasis is placed on the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals. But these little treasures are just small awards after the last race. Each one that has competed has won something for themselves.

When Zach returns to his home in Watson Lake, Yukon – he is a real hero. Everyone knows Zach. He is one of their own.

Gotta run now… more Olympics are on soon… and I have to work out some more today – getting ready for four years from now… Buff Puff Buff Puff…

~ Murray Lincoln ~
(Go Zach Bell Go!)