May. 9, 2007 - Special Olympics & April
My twin boys who have autism competed in the Special Olympics Saturday. Isaiah won the gold and Isaac won the silver for the 400 meter walk race!
My boys are the guys in the blue shirts. 
Isaiah, Gold; Isaac Silver. Woo Hoo!!
I have never been to a Special Olympics event so I was unprepared for how it would affect me emotionally.
I was inspired beyond words. Not only did the athletes inspire me -- but their caregivers inspired me, too.
My chest filled with unspent tears as I watched the torch being carried laboriously, vigorously, and joyfully from one runner to the next. One little boy with cerebral palsy ran with all his might, the torch held high above his head as he tripped along with clumsy determined steps. A nonverbal lady with a neurological disorder that affected her muscles as well as her mind held the torch tremulously high and smiled with all her might as she was pushed in her wheelchair by a young Jr. High school boy. How can that not affect you when you see that kind of spirit?
The parade was a blast -- I waved my heart out so that the athletes would have someone to wave back to. The VFW Legion guys carried our nation's stars and stripes. A police woman sang the national anthem. It was truly a grand way to start an inspiring day.
I had just as much fun cheering on the other athletes as I did my own sons. The athletes had overcome so many things to be there. You couldn't help but be inspired by their enthusiasm.
One little athlete named April also taught me a spiritual lesson. She is only about 8 years old and has down syndrome. Her beautiful shiny, thick blonde hair bobbed up and down as she ran. She was all smiles and running her heart out until she saw that the girl in the lead was so far ahead of her that she could never catch up with her.
April stopped. She turned around. She started to walk off the track.
"Go April!" the crowd shouted. "You can do it! You can do it! Keep going!"
An adult volunteer on the sidelines began to run along beside her clapping, "Come on! You can do it! Keep going! Go, go, go!!"
"Go, April!" I shouted. "Go, April!!"
April tossed her hair back, and began to run again. With people cheering her on, and the crowd clapping, she made it to the finish line and into waiting arms for a big warm hug. What a triumphant finish!
What a great picture this was for me of our race. We might stop sometimes in our race, wonder if what we're doing is worth it or not. We might see someone else's race and realize they are so far ahead of us that we will never be as accomplished or as far along as they are. We might look back and try to go back to where we came from, or think of getting off the track. But because we run along with the saints -- God's people -- they will encourage us to keep going forward. They will help us to keep our eyes on the finish line -- and to ultimately end up in the Father's open arms.
It reminded me of the great cloud of witnesses in heaven:
"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1"
I hope I will always remember April's race. I hope I will remember how she didn't give up, and when she felt like quitting, friends were there to encourage her. I hope I will remember how she drew strength from those friends, and how she tossed her head back and ran with joy to the finish line.
I hope I can remember how she enjoyed the journey, and how good it felt in the end to get that welcoming, warm embrace.
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