Pushing Past Obstacles

The Olympics is an inspiring time. Recently I saw the Paralympic athlete Allison Jones interviewed. Talk about inspiring!

She was born with a deformed femur in her right leg and at nine months old, had her foot amputated. At the age of 5, her family moved to Colorado. She says her mom took her to the top of a hill with a ski for her foot and said, “Go for it!”

Allison has been going for it ever since. Besides skiing competitively, at age fifteen she started cycling so she’d have something to do during the summer months. She currently has four medals, including a gold, and is the only US Paralymic athlete to compete in both summer and winter games. This year, she hopes to win more medals.

One of the reasons I find her story so inspiring is the optimism of her mom. It must have taken great faith and determination to push through such an obstacle and see such hope for her daughter. Allison has not only overcome her big obstacle in life, she has far surpassed what most of us could do with all of our limbs fully intact.

I think I might remember this story the next time I let something stand between me and success. It’s very easy to nurse myself when I am sick or have a setback of some kind. I have even used the extra weight I gained in pregnancy as an excuse not to exercise because it’s too difficult to lug it around.

I’d rather have an attitude like Allison Jones. I want to see past the tough times and obstacles in my life and believe that I really could accomplish a great deal if I go for it.