"The Tornado"

well my dear ones,


Just the other day
I was reading through some notes
for a college class I'm taking
(I like to always keep a hand in
and learn some new things)
when I came across one of our inserts.

The instructor likes to occasionally slip in
some uplifting stories to help anyone
who might be struggling with the material,
anyone who might need a boost of confidence.
This particular piece was about a woman
named Wilma Rudolph,
the first woman in history to earn
three Olympic gold medals in track and field
back in the 1960 Olympic Games.

Now to win just one gold medal is big stuff,
to win three is huge,
even for an athlete in top shape.
But this woman did it against incredible odds.

She was born prematurely,
weighing only 4.5 pounds.
She suffered from pneumonia and scarlet fever,
not to even mention that
her left leg was crippled by polio.

Advised by her doctor to "exercise only a little,"
she decided that more was better
and took off her braces for the agonizing ordeal
of just walking around the house.

Hardly an auspicious start for the one
who would emerge from the 1960 Olympics in Rome
as "The Tornado," the fastest woman on earth!

Through tenacity and hard work
she overcame her obstacles
to rise to greatness.
She also left behind a legacy,
a foundation that helps others get ahead
who started out with odds not in their favor.

The next time you feel
like you need a bit of inspiration
you might want to Google Wilma Rudolph;
it will lift you up, for sure!




Have a great week!


grace, peace, and love to you,

dave


"Until one has loved an animal,
a part of one's soul remains un-awakened."

--- Anatole France