Hands On Health

Paralympics 2010 and 2004

Hello, World !!
With the Winter Olympics and Paralympics approaching in Vancouver–
March 2010.  It brings back fond memories of Paralympics 2004.  The
Paralympics
features elite athletes with physical disabilities. It follows
directly after the Olympics in the same Venue – same locations,
facilities and set ups.
I had the wonderful privilege of being part of the Athens Sports
Massage Team, spending three weeks in Athens, Greece in the fall of
2004… HOW cool is that!!

Serving at the Paralympic Village, I worked with athletes from all
over the world that were staying at the village.  These athletes would
come for massage sessions both pre-event and post-events.
I had many life lessons.   Here is one of my stand outs:
I was struck by the thought: What are they doing here? How did they get here?
Didn’t anyone tell them they couldn’t do this?
They are not equipped to do this. They are too “old, too big, too
small, couldn’t see, hear, missing limbs”.  They were all ages, stages
and sizes.
I kept thinking their limitations might have been more obvious; but
what are my limitations? What is keeping me from moving forward?
What am I not overcoming, pursuing limiting me from reaching my
lifetime possibilities?  This is still a question I keep fresh to help
me move forward.

It was a”once in a lifetime experience”.  I am thankful:)

http://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games/