The human spirit knows no bounds....

I LOVE the Olympics!  Winter, Summer, it does NOT MATTER!  I just love the Olympics.  I love the excitement, I love the events, I love the competitions, I love the patriotism and I love the athletes.  What they are able to accomplish, their determination, their drive and heart...it's inspiring!  And some of them?  Some have such stories that make your mouth drop in utter awe.

Every morning thus far, you hear the rumblings around the office, "did you see...." or "did you hear..."
This morning it was "did you hear about the blind archer from South Korea?"  My response?

"Wait...what?"

Turns out South Korean archer, Im Dong-hyun, broke his own record and helped his team set the FIRST world record in these Olympic games.  Not only that, he and his team won gold medals in Athens (2004) and in Beijing (2008).  Im is legally blind.  Im is an archer.  Im is a blind archer.  Wow.

You man have already heard the story of Oscar Pistorius, the Blade Runner.  He is a runner from South Africa.  A runner that was born without fibulas.  A runner without legs.  He's only ever known prosthetics.  He's competed, very well, in paraplegic events.  Though a proud paraplegic athlete, Oscar wanted to run against "able bodied athletes". The IAAF said no, "he was able to run at the same speed as able bodied athletes while using less energy and that his prosthetic limbs gave him an advantage over able-bodied athletes."  Oscar said yes.  He thought that if his prosthetics gave him such speed, than in theory the other para runners should be just as fast as he...which they are not.

Oscar will be competing in the 4x400 relay.  Amazing.

You may (or may not) remember I once tried to unsuccessfully come up with a inspiring, witty, seriouslyhope-type of mantra.  But now...now I think I've got it.

If a blind man can shoot an arrow....

It may sound snarky, but I assure you it is far from it.

Say it to yourself.  And really listen to it.  It's a reminder that you are not limited by your physical limitations, only your mental ones.  That the human spirit knows no bounds; and if you dream it, if you want it, you really can make it happen.

Next time, when you're up against the wall thinking you can't take another step, pedal another second or swim another stroke....Remember Im.  Remember Oscar.

If a blind man can shoot an arrow...