2008 Beijing Paralympics

I've been watching the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, China this week. It's so amazing! There are so many sports it's hard to keep up with who's playing what and who's winning, etc. But it has been so fun to watch all the events. They are being televised online through
NBC's Universal Sports. The video streams really well and some of it even has commentary and play backs. You're probably thinking "And that's a big deal to have commentary and play backs? Doesn't every televised sport?" The fact is, NO. It's only been the last couple Paralympics that has had any coverage at all. Up until about 10 years ago no one even knew what the Paralympics was. They thought any one that had something wrong with them must be in the Special Olympics. But that is not true. The truth is the Paralympics are for elite athletes with physical disabilities. They take place, usually two weeks after the Olympics takes place. It's an honor for these disabled athletes, from all over the world, to come and compete in their sport. And they are amazing! I spent all last weekend watching the swimming events and I was astounded. I know I'm a Paralympian too, and people have said they are amazed watching me race down icy mountains going 70 mph, but watching these athletes at the 2008 Paralympics seriously gets my blood and heart pumping! I watched the most amazing double amputees give the race of their lives in the water and on the track! I watched blind athletes play football and goal ball. It's seriously amazing! And, I'm going to say the forbidden word...the taboo for disabled athletes, they were inspiring. There I said it. Is it so hard to understand? These athletes inspire me. Inspire me to keep going with my sport and also to charge forward through life. These people have been given every right and reason to give up...but they don't. They charge forward! You can see by watching the Paralymic games that there truly are no limits to what one person can do.
On that note, let me just add something here... I watched the bocce ball. This could possibly be one of the most boring sports on the planet to watch. But I did anyway. Not really my thing but I thought, "what the heck. I'm probably never going to watch it again. So, let's see what this is all about." I will never miss a bocce match ever again. Let me explain why. These bocce athletes, some of them can hardly move their arms... let alone their bodies. Some of them are severely disabled. I saw several push the ball towards their goal with this thing attached to their head because that was the only way they could do it. They had no use of their limbs at all. But their minds were so sharp and their intent was so strong. Every single one of them was able to get their ball as close to the goal as anyone that was considered able bodied. How were they able to accomplish this major feat? I want to believe it was all in their intention. You could see the die hard focus on these athletes. They made their clear decision as to where they wanted the ball to land, the aimed with precise focus, and let the ball fly. The goal of bocce ball is the get your ball as close the the center white ball as you possibly can. Other opponents can knock your ball away from the white ball. But in the end, it's all about who's ball was the closest to get the points. It's a mentally and physically challenging game. And these athletes make it look so dang easy. I am totally inspired by their dedication and talent. They are truly amazing. So there!
I encourage anyone who can to watch these Paralympic games online at NBC Universal Sports. No one will be disappointed. You will only be inspired!

With inspiration,

Starting something new

I'm starting a new business. I want to help people set up professional blogs. So, my first blogger is my sister, Sundy. She wants to set up a blog about being fit at the same time, being a mom. It's going to be a lot of fun working with her. She's very creative and has a lot of really great ideas. But she doesn't have a lot of time to maintain her blog. So, I'm going to make it possible for her to just sit back and relax...so all she has to do is just write! She wont have to worry about all the technical details of running a site. I'll be doing that part for her! And I'm super excited about it because I love doing that kind of stuff.
It's so funny to me that just a couple days go I had no idea what to do with my blogging future. But now I'm totally positive about what I want to do. You the funniest part, though? The funniest thing is that I hate to sell anything!! But, for some reason, I don't have a problem talking to people about my new idea. I'm totally excited about it and think everyone should have a blog.
Which brings me to a thought I had a very long time ago when I was a lot younger. I use to have this dream that one day, my husband and I would buy a motor home and head out on the road with one purpose in mind...to write down peoples stories and put them in a book to share with others. I've always wanted to do this because, when I was younger I use to see people in the restaurant, or the grocery store and I use to wonder about them.... what was their life like? What kind of hardships had they gone through? How did they overcome these things? I thought this especially about people I didn't understand. I always wanted to talk to them and ask them all kinds of questions about their life. And now, several years later, I still want to help people share their stories. I love stories. I always have. And I especially love hearing other peoples. I'm a freak I guess. Anyway- I'm totally passionate about my new venture. I think it's totally awesome. So, I'm going to be starting a couple of my own blogs to get things up and going.
Life is so funny how it always seems to take us full circle. I love it!

Dear friend,

You are lovable and worthy of love.
And you need no permission for your dreams to come true.

Sincerely,

Lacey

I never thought in a million years I would ever love myself enough to be able to say those words. But today, I not only can say those words, I can also feel them.

I came to this realization talking, today, with a friend who was really struggling in her marriage. At first her words expressed absolute animosity for her husband. But then the emotion came billowing out, and I could see she was actually very hurt, sad, and scared. I stopped agreeing with her that, yes- her husband could be a complete ass hole. And decided to just be present with her- no more talking, just observing.
I settled in and focused on the moment. Not on the emotion, or the words. But on the solitary moment. I noticed the detail in my friends sad face, and the tears rolling down her cheeks. I became an observer from another planet. Examining the human emotion but not yet feeling it myself, as if I didn't even know what it was she was experiencing. If a person has never done that before I highly recommend it. It turns an ordinary moment into an amazing one.
Any way, I sat in the present moment, with my friend, and held a safe place for her to feel her emotion about her situation. She was finally able to feel it completely. She was able to share with me her hurts and lost hopes. I heard the emotion between her words, and realized, she did not believe she deserved love. And that by blaming her husband, for not loving and cherishing her, she was waiting for permission from him to realized her dreams.
I did not tell her my insights because sometimes there are just things we have to discover on our own. And the emotion was so high I wasn't sure it would stick. It didn't matter anyway. What mattered in that moment was that she was feeling. Through my eyes she became the most beautiful expression of human experience. I loved her deeply for allowing herself to experience. How often do us humans believe it's OK to truly experience? It has not been my experience in my life to EXPERIENCE. It's been more about searching for outcomes to change myself or another. But to EXPERIENCE is the true purpose of life!
My friend instantly felt better having shed the weight of her true emotion. She began to laugh at herself and I could see the strain had lifted. I smiled at her and gave her a big hug and something in me grew. I felt deeply her worthiness to be loved and to love. And I knew her dreams were also worthy and she could easily manifest them. I knew these things because I knew them about myself. Perhaps I don't know them all the time, but in that moment, and several moments continuing- I knew that of myself to be true.
I've heard before that we can only give what we have ourselves, and love your neighbor as yourself. These two saying now resonate with me. I feel them. They are now my truth...even for moments at a time.
Thinking back about where I've come from- growing up different from everyone else because of my physical disability and allowing that to determine my self worth, I'm truly grateful for every moment I feel unconditional love for myself. And now I know I have had and still have that love for myself... because I have it to give!
How absolutely splendid!