Chicken and Brown Gravy For the Soul...

Last night I was asked to attend what people at my law firm like to call a "Chicken and Brown Gravy Dinner"...a gala event benefiting one of our clients where the food is never very good...but, is usually chicken with brown gravy.  So, I did my duty and attended.  And while I will admit that these events are sometimes a tad boring, my colleagues are a good group and we usually can make any event fun.   But this event actually had a really inspiring message. 

I attended the Brady Sports Achievement Awards and Dinner presented by Methodist Sports Medicine's Research and Education Foundation where scholarship awards are presented to  high school and college athletes who have overcome adversity or hardship in their pursuit of academic and athletic excellence.  Out of the 5 athletes that were presented awards, 3 of them had overcome blood cancer.  While all of the kids who were honored have overcome serious injuries and adversity (you can read about Robbie Hummel and Bradley Humphrey), my heart went out to the 3 who have battled blood cancer Ashtyn Brown, Alysia Bennet, and Evan Meade.

I guess I never really understood how prevalent blood cancer is until CLL struck a loved one.  Now I see blood cancers everywhere and I find myself witnessing extraordinary battles and extraordinary courage and perseverance every day.

You should read about the adversity faced by all 5 of the kids honored last night because it makes you realize that these kids love of being active and participating in athletics helped them to overcome the odds.  And these kids have first hand knowledge of what it is like to be privileged to have a healthy body that lets them participate in the sports they are passionate about.  They have first hand knowledge of what it is like to sit on the sidelines when faced with a horrific injury or incurable disease.

Next time I find myself wanting to slack off and take a day off from training or not push myself as hard as I should...I'm going to channel the spirit, energy, strength and perseverance of these kids.