In what was an unforgettable moment, here’s our daughter holding Cate Campbell’s Gold Medal from the London Olympics.
Congratulations to Cate, sister Bronte, Brittany Elmslie and Emma McKeon who took out the Gold Medal and World Records in the 4 x 100 Freestyle.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
xx Rowena
Nothing like crawling out of bed after a Sunday sleep-in and winning a Gold Medal at the Rio Games. After all, when Mack Horton won Gold in the 400m freestyle for Australia, that includes me.
Aussie Mack Horton Savours Gold…another great shot from the couch.
Thanks, Mack!
I also have to thank Mack Horton for a great Sunday morning pep talk. After his win, he shared his self-talk during the race: “I am in control.I can do it.”
What a contrast to that panic-stricken: “Everything’s falling apart”. Feeling “out of control” and “I’ve lost it”.
That’s the difference between being a VICTOR, and becoming the VICTIM…success and giving up!
Great wisdom…as I scoff another Honey Joy from our daughter’s stash from last night’s party.
Are you watching the Olympics? Any highlights?
I must admit that I also just cheered when Hungarian Katinka Hosszu won Gold in Women’s 400m Individual Medley. This is her fourth Olympics and although a brilliant swimmer, she was yet to win an Olympic Gold:
“In London, I was so scared of what’s going to happen if I lose,” Hosszu said, according to The New York Times. “It was awful, really. I just felt like: ‘This is my time; I need to show it. It’s now or never.’ I put this pressure on myself.”
Hosszu was ranked World No. 1 coming into the Olympics, yet there are no guarantees. So, her success was a huge personal triumph and a reminder to anyone:”Never Give Up!”
No time to rest or get a cup of tea, it’s grueling pace.
Another race and a huge yahoo from the couch, as the Australian Women’s 4 x 100 m Freestyle Relay Team take out Gold and the World Record.
The kids and I met Cate Campbell at a Muscular Dystrophy NSW event held just after the London Olympics. She is a truly inspirational person in real life, just as much as in the pool. Truly, someone to follow…even if it’s only with a cheer from the couch!
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
Top of the medal tally…not that I’m showing off, but I had to play this: Queen: We Are The Champions.
Have you been watching the Olympics? Any highlights so far?
Cheers from the couch! I have more medals to win!
xx Rowena
It’s time we bring back the niceometer and value niceness, instead of celebrating the very worst of human behaviour!
For some reason, being “nice” is now perceived as some kind of put down. Used to refer to someone who boring, bland or insipid, it’s used as a derogatory term – instead of something to be revered.
I say we need to bring back “nice”. Resurrect it from the dead and all nice people should sport their niceness with pride.
Nice needs to come out of the closet and strut its stuff.
I know being nice probably sounds very Brady Bunch but what’s so wrong with caring about your fellow human being and developing a bit of character? Shouldn’t we be encouraging giving instead of taking? Building community?
I was reminded again about the importance of supposedly old-fashioned niceness on Friday when we attended the finale of Fill the Boot, a fundraiser run by the Fire Brigade to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. We were there because my auto-immune disease is a neuro-muscular condition and I am a member of Muscular Dystrophy NSW. To read all about Fill the Boot, you can read my previous post and click here for the official web site: http://www.filltheboot.com.au/
We had such a fabulous day and experienced the very best of human nice and kindness that I had to share it. Here are a few vignettes from our Fill the Boot Day, which might just restore your faith in human kindness. I’ve listed them in chronological order as the day unfolded.
Some firies at the North Sydney Olympic Pool
Firstly, there was the fundraising by the firies. Firies are wonderful people who put their lives on the line everyday to save others. Yet, they found the time and energy to get out there and raise money for us and I really appreciate it! They managed to raise $100,000.00 for the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. Yippee! That’s a lot of chocolate… oops! I mean research!
The kids with Luke.
Secondly, we not only met Luke Jacobz, Host of the x Factor, he actually spent time with us – real time. I have to laugh because when I first met him, he was wearing an Olympic gold medal around his neck and I thought he was one the athletes. Go Ro! I have watched the x Factor but I don’t watch a lot of TV and I’m certainly no celebrity chaser. I honestly didn’t recognise him.
Luke was genuinely very, very nice and one of those rare people who are very attentive and really listen to you. Mister and Luke had some very long discussions about something although none of us can quite remember what they talked about. I do remember Miss talking to him about her tooth falling out and how she’d found fairy dust on her hands the next morning along with a $5.00 note from the tooth fairy. As I said, Luke was very attentive and asked her questions and took a real, genuine interest. He wasn’t looking over his shoulder for someone more interesting to chat with. The kids really appreciated this. Not because he is the host of the X Factor but because he helped them feel special, loved and treasured. They were glowing. It really touched me to see them so happy. We have had some very tough times and it meant the world for me to see them smile and have so many deep belly laughs.
Kags & Mister
Kags from MDNSW also did a pretty good job at making the kids laugh and feel special too. I’ve been asked when they’re going to see Kags again.
Kags & Miss at the lunch.
The kids with Kate, Luke and the gold medal.
Thirdly, Cate Campbell shared her precious Olympic Gold Medal (or “mettal” as Miss called it) with us. It was only when I arrived home and was talking to my husband, Geoff, that the enormity of that hit me. The kids were able to wear the medal round their necks. When I was a kid, I wasn’t even allowed to touch Dad’s good crystal wine glasses. They were very, very precious. Yet, Cate trusted my kids, complete strangers, with her very precious, irreplaceable Olympic gold medal. This wasn’t just some plastic replica you find at the $2.00 shop. It was the real thing. That was very, very nice!
Miss with the gold medal.
Cate also spent time with us and I must say I enjoyed watching her swim. She took freestyle to a whole new level and had something like the grace of a swan. Needless to say, it was quite a different experience to what I’m used to at swimming lessons!
Fourthly, a fireman drove my car across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and into the Sydney Fire Station. I always feel a bit silly about my nervous driving even though I am spatially challenged. However, I was able to voice my concerns to MDNSW who sent Kags along as navigator. But then a fireman offered his services so how could I resist? I decided that driving home across the Harbour Bridge would be a better time to extend my driving prowess. As it was, because the fireman was driving, we ended up at the tail end of the street parade featuring the beautiful historic fire engine. It was quite exciting being part of the action.
The Kids with Blazer.
Fifthly, the firies gave the kids caps and toys. This might not sound like much but it meant the world to the kids. Mister was given a cap from the Sydney Fire Station, which is almost glued on his head. He loves it!! He even took it to bed with him. He was also given a patch from the Northern Territory. Miss was given a cap from the Tasmanian Fire Service, which was very special because Geoff comes from Tasmania. A firey from Brisbane’s Roma Street Fire Station gave each of the kids a fire fighting koala bear called Blazer. They love him. We have also been invited into the Roma Street Fire Station when we’re in Brisbane next and hope to get there in January. There were other gifts, I’m sure. The kids were spoilt!
I always appreciate that whenever I go to functions organised by Muscular Dystrophy, that I feel so loved, valued and accepted. I always feel like I’m floating along in a wonderful love bubble. This isn’t because people feel sorry for me or pity me but they do acknowledge what we are going through. I have found everybody I meet there truly inspirational and so encouraging. Pretty much most of us are living life to the max…our max anyway. I often find that when people are challenged by adversity they can actually achieve the most amazing things. People find strength seemingly out of nowhere and it’s just amazing and seemingly quite illogical
It’s now Monday night and that fire brigade cap is still glued to Mister’s head..
This morning when I dropped the kids at school, one of them piped up in the car and said: “we are the luckiest kids in the whole wide world.” That’s what being nice does. It builds people up. Helps them feel good and makes the world a better place.
In a world where being known as a “hater” in some circles is cool, I’d much rather be “nice”.
Wouldn’t you?!!
If you enjoyed this post, I recommend reading my previous post The Love of A Stranger.
Love & best wishes,
Rowena
Beyond the Flow 