In our realm, the lovely shell we bear
Is the best thing this planet ever saw!
In our ignorance, the world
Starts and ends in our sphere
Until the day fate knocks us awake
Until the day faith leads us away
And we refuse to be stalled by the strange
Or to be stopped by the surpassing
But instead, we keep pushing and reaching
Farther and higher until we discover
We’ve crossed the line marked impossible
Because suddenly we find ourselves
At the peak we never knew existed
We see what eyes have never seen before
But it wasn’t such a sudden discovery
It was a venture so risky, so costly
And yet so worthy it’s incomparable
To where we were, to where we’ve been
And yes so worthy to be repeated
To experience again and again
Those “Aha, I see!” moments
Reserved only for those who pause
To rest but won’t stop, won’t give up
As they move one step at a time.
Jo and Gord took me for an up-close visit of the Canadian Olympic Park which I have been admiring from a distance. Right at the entrance, was this bobsled with Jamaica conspicuously painted on it. With the age and scratches glaring right back at you, it was obvious it didn’t earn that prestigious space by its fancy appearance. You could tell right away there must be some history around it. Thus I learned the story of courage that could neither be daunted by ignorance, ridicule and all the shortcomings you could count on both fingers and toes: the true life story that inspired the movie titled, “Cool Running.”
Movies are often exaggerated but history resounds years after it’s made. Allow me to sketch the courage that occupies a place of significance in one of Canada’s most prestigious parks. I make no attempt to retell the story. Instead, this article in line with others in this series highlight the wisdom that forms pillars for the “ridiculous” adventure of 4 young Jamaicans; Dudley Stokes, his brother Chris Stokes, Michael White and Devon Harris.
Born and bred in Jamaica, these 4 plain crazy guys (that is how such people are labelled by those of us who know so much better though do so much less), were pregnant with a dream that bore all the marks of impossibility – they set their faces to the 2008 Olympic Games and nothing would stop them. From the tropics of the Caribbean, without appropriate tools or skills, they fixed their hearts on the winter Olympics and sought to learn so they could live their dream. A lot of dreamers are allergic to sacrifices and yet wonder why they don’t make it. But these young men, ignorant they may or may not have been of what lay ahead, did not fool themselves that it will come cheap or easy. They knew there was a price to their dream and they were prepared to pay whatever it would cost.
They battled ignorance, rejection, conspiracy, poverty, lack, and everything else you can imagine. I don’t know how long your list of all the odds against you is, but theirs was gigantic. Yet, they braved it. They found someone who had the skill they needed irrespective of his dilapidated status and reputation. They worked hard practicing a skill that is strange to what they were used to. They left behind friends, families and a country that didn’t think they stood a chance. They gave up all that mattered for what they wanted – their sacrifices were neither forced nor halfhearted. To make a difference, you must be willing and ready to give your dream, nothing less than your best, nothing short of your all.
They left where they were, found the way to their desired destination but that was not all. They braced their way through all the strangeness of their new destination. They didn’t mourn that it was different from where they came, that it was tougher than expected, that things didn’t fall in line for them or work as they expected. Instead, they battled their way through cold that is no respecter of visitors. They were not intimidated by superstars who had all they lacked in superfluous measures. Short as it seemed they fell, they came prepared, they came to play, and they played to win.
Courage is not about experience, it is not about popular opinion or support. Courage is primarily about what you believe, what you are willing to give for what you desire, and how far you are willing to go for it. They may not have won the day but they made history that remains until date: a testament to the sheer courage of 4 young men who defied all that was against them simply to live their dream. And live it they did! That brings us back to the key question: what are you doing about your dream? Do you even have a dream at all? What is it and what are you willing to give to see it come to pass? In the end, your response and backing action to these questions will determine if that dream sees the light of day.
Glory!