I would like to thank the special woman in my life who has inspired me to do all of which I have done & still have yet to do.
You will always be in my heart Tammy.
Love Always,
Andre
Words of Encourgement
Kelly Guest, a Canadian triathlete, who needs our support for all that he has endured. He is a big fan of CX too! Way to go Kelly! I even got a nice email from the good fellow after expressing support for his cause!
From : kelly@kellyguest.com
Sent : April 16, 2004 10:18:27 PM
Subject : Re: Best wishes from a really amateur duathlete!
Hi Andre, thanks for the support and I'm glad to hear that
you have given duathlons a go!(the swim has always been a
struggle for me too)
Let's not forget one of my favorite sports Cyclocross, it is
awesome!!
Keep at it and have a great 2004 season!
Thanks
Kelly
Ack! What the heck! With encouragment like this, if I don't give it a go, I might regret not trying it one day. If you ever receive letters like these & it doesn't inspire you to try breakout of your safety shell, in any sport (not necessarily CX or duathlons) or anything in life (that is not illegal), I really don't know what to say!
No matter what ones does in life, we all draw inspiration knowingly or unknowningly from many things & people. Whether I am cycling/running alone, playing D (in hockey) facing a 2 on 1, or normal everyday happenings, it is comforting to know that we are not alone in these situation & in the pursuit of life & happiness.
More Food For Thought, from the English alphabet
Thanks to Midori Mango for these great words!
A--Accept
Accept others for who they are and for the choices they've made even if you have difficulty understanding their beliefs, motives, or actions.
B--Break Away
Break away from everything that stands in the way of what you hope to accomplish with your life.
C--Create
Create a family of friends whom you can share your hopes, dreams, sorrows, and happiness with.
D--Decide
Decide that you'll be successful and happy come what may, and good things will find you. The roadblocks are only minor obstacles along the way.
E--Explore
Explore and experiment. The world has much to offer, and you have much to give. And every time you try something new, you'll learn more about yourself.
F--Forgive
Forgive and forget. Grudges only weigh you down and inspire unhappiness and grief. Soar above it, and remember that everyone makes mistakes.
G--Grow
Leave the childhood monsters behind. They can no longer hurt you or stand in your way.
H--Hope
Hope for the best and never forget that anything is possible as long as you remain dedicated to the task.
I--Ignore
Ignore the negative voice inside your head. Focus instead on your goals and remember your accomplishments. Your past success is only a small inkling of what the future holds.
J--Journey
Journey to new worlds, new possibilities, by remaining open-minded. Try to learn something new every day, and you'll grow.
K--Know
Know that no matter how bad things seem, they'll always get better. The warmth of spring always follows the harshest winter.
L--Love
Let love fill your heart instead of hate. When hate is in your heart, there's room for nothing else, but when love is in your heart, there's room for endless happiness.
M--Manage
Manage your time and your expenses wisely, and you'll suffer less stress and worry. Then you'll be able to focus on the important things in life.
N--Notice
Never ignore the poor, infirm, helpless, weak, or suffering. Offer your assistance when possible, and always your kindness and understanding.
O--Open
Open your eyes and take in all the beauty around you. Even during the worst of times, there's still much to be thankful for.
P--Play
Never forget to have fun along the way. Success means nothing without happiness.
Q--Question
Ask many questions, because you're here to learn.
R--Relax
Refuse to let worry and stress rule your life, and remember that things always have a way of working out in the end.
S--Share
Share your talent, skills, knowledge, and time with others. Everything that you invest in others will return to you many times over.
T--Try
Even when your dreams seem impossible to reach, try anyway. You'll be amazed by what you can accomplish.
U--Use
Use your gifts to your best ability. Talent that's wasted has no value. Talent that's used will bring unexpected rewards.
V--Value
Value the friends and family members who've supported and encouraged you, and be there for them as well.
W--Work
Work hard every day to be the best person you can be, but never feel guilty if you fall short of your goals.
X--X-Ray
Look deep inside the hearts of those around you and you'll see the goodness and beauty within.
Y--Yield
Yield to commitment. If you stay on track and remain dedicated, you'll find success at the end of the road.
Z--Zoom
Zoom to a happy place when bad memories or sorrow rears its ugly head. Let nothing interfere with your goals. Instead, focus on your abilities, your dreams, and a brighter tomorrow.
More Great Words! People come into your life for a reason.
Thanks again to Midori Mango!
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a Godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.!
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
The Night Before Christmas
T'was the night before Christmas,
He lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house,
Made of plaster and stone.
I had come down the chimney,
With presents to give,
And to see just who,
In this home did live.
I looked all about,
A strange sight I did see,
No tinsel, no presents,
Not even a tree.
No stocking by the mantle,
Just boots filled with sand,
On the wall hung pictures,
Of far distant lands.
With medals and badges,
Awards of all kinds,
A sober thought,
Came through my mind.
For this house was different,
It was dark and dreary,
I found the home of a soldier,
Once I could see clearly.
The soldier lay sleeping,
Silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor,
In this one bedroom home.
The face was so gentle,
The room in such disorder,
Not how I pictured,
A Canadian soldier.
Was this the hero,
Of whom I'd just read?
Curled up on a poncho,
The floor for a bed?
I realized the families,
That I saw this night,
Owed their lives to these soldiers,
Who were willing to fight.
Soon round the world,
The children would play,
And grownups would celebrate,
A bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom,
Each month of the year,
Because of the soldiers,
Like the one lying here.
I couldn't help wonder,
How many lay alone,
On a cold Christmas eve,
In a land far from home.
The very thought brought,
A tear to my eye,
I dropped to my knees,
And started to cry.
The soldier awakened,
And I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry,
This life is my choice.
I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more,
My life is my god,
My country, my corps."
The soldier rolled over,
And drifted to sleep,
I couldn't control it,
I continued to weep.
I kept watch for hours,
So silent and still,
And we both shivered,
From the cold night's chill.
I didn't want to leave,
On that cold, dark night,
This guardian of honour,
So willing to fight.
Then the soldier rolled over,
With a voice, soft and pure,
Whispered, "carry on Santa,
It's Christmas day, all is secure."
One look at my watch,
And I knew he was right,
"Merry Christmas my friend,
And to all a good night."
This poem was written by a peace keeping soldier stationed overseas. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable.
PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favour of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our Canadian service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us. Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.
I saw this message on the RunningMania.com forum on Nov 30, 2006. Something struck a cord & I thought it best to save it here... as a reminder to me & perhaps those who pass by here as well....
From Klewlis of RunningMania.com posted on Thu May 17, 2007 3:02 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
there are SO many stories. here's one of my personal favourites:
when my mom was a baby her dad was in the Navy, and the tradition was to christen navy babies aboard a ship and engrave their names on the ship's bell. My mom always told us about how she was christened on a ship and her name was on the bell, but had never tracked down the bell. So one day my brother and I decided to track it down for her. We traced it to a naval training base near Montreal. Unable to make the trip ourselves, I was looking for ways to at least get a picture of this bell as a gift to my mom. Sir Crashalot stepped up to the plate--he drove out to the base with a friend and took several high-res images of the bell. One of the coolest parts was that I hadn't told him my mom's maiden name, and he couldn't capture all sides of the bell, so he wasn't sure if my mom's name was in the pics or not. But it was! I had some framed and gave it to her, and tears were shed. I think it's pretty amazing that someone I've never met face to face would do something so awesome for my family. It's very special to us.
Note: The lady's name is Dawn Ann Kirkpatrick.
It did not occur to me to think of asking for the name before we left town. So, we blasted away at every angle available & in hopes that we got a few good shots for our efforts.
To the wonderful Lady H, who did it all on her own! You will always be a true Champion!
I will be looking for your name in the IFBB ranks in 2008
Tri The World
Brian and Heather are passionate about two things: Triathlons and causes that hit close to home. Brian, a testicular cancer survivor, believes in the sentiment no pain, no gain. "You gotta sacrifice things in order to get things... it's a simple concept really". Heather, who's only sister was involved in a very serious car accident in 2005, knows that our global community knows very little about Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). "Many thought we should just walk away from Tammy... they said there was no hope. This summer at the cottage, Tammy and I sang around the campfire just like we used to when we were kids." We do NOT know enough about ABI.
Together, these two figure that flying around the World to race in 16 Half Ironman Triathlons in 11 countries, on 5 continents in 8 months is one crazy way to raise AWARENESS about both Testicular Cancer and ABI.
We want to ensure that you know as much as you can about our causes... how relevant they are to YOUR life and to the lives of those all around the world. Accidents that cause ABI or discovering a cancerous tumor can happen anywhere at any time.
Share this story... share this site... share their insanity... PASS IT ON to whomever you know... no one is immune!
I made a personal donation to Brian & Heather to support their cause. To my surprise, I got this great vest as a gesture of their gratitude.
The Fat Cyclist
A fellow rider & his family going through some really tough times. His wife - Susan — is fighting metastatic breast cancer.
Email: Arctic Hawk 2003
Please drop me a note, if you like. Perhaps you have a question about any of my kooky sports, I will do my best to direct you to the right place/source. Or, if you have a good idea for my webpage, let me know! Or better yet, explain to me how to do it!
Even man's best friend can feel sorrow & pain, so live life to the fullest & do your best to do good for those around you.
Arctic Hawk
