We All Look Back (Let Me Win)

We all look back and wonder.

I do. Do you?

Could'a...should'a...would'a.

I think it's human nature.

This morning, on the way to his Therapeutic Recreation, Joshua was talking about the past. He does that sometimes. He said, "I wish I had done some things differently in High School." I was curious, so I said, "like what?" He said, "I wish I had tried out for the basketball team, instead of just being the manager."

Now, we have never tried to limit ANY of our children, but there comes a time when reality hits you right in the face and the best thing to do is to just state the obvious. Joshua is 4'10". We tell him that he's 5 feet tall...don't judge. He just doesn't want any part of being in the 4 feet range...he just doesn't.

At least he's taller than Jenni!

I told Joshua that God made each of us different...with different strengths and abilities. I explained that we...all of us...are not "cookie cutter" people. He thought that was so funny.

I told him that God made some people tall, but He made us "travel-sized." I told him that we can sit in the back-seat of the car and not complain about the lack of leg room.

This struck a chord with him because that was the complaint of one of our family members this weekend.

Joshua said he wished he was tall like Clark. I told him I understood...I wish I was taller, too...but we can't change that. We talked about the boys on his High School basketball team...about how tall they were. I told him that we can gain weight, lose weight and get stronger...but we CANNOT make ourselves grow taller. We just can't.

I told him that Clark probably wished that he had his (Joshua's) muscles. Joshua said, "well, he IS stronger than me, but I have more definition."

He said, "Well, I was very good at track and field in Special Olympics." And he was...when he was younger. But he has a certain gait about him...and, at a certain age, his peers were towering over him. When you have long legs, you are probably going to be faster than someone with shorter legs...generally speaking.

I remember the last time Joshua competed in track and field for Special O. He was running for all he was worth, but boys his age were FLYING by him. Even in Special O., not all things are created equal! Everyone is different. I just remember standing down by the track so that I could cheer for Joshua as he ran by. He had the maddest look on his face and he was muttering every Downsy bad word he knew, as the other athletes ran past him.

I only hope they didn't hear him!

Do you know the Special Olympics motto? You don't? It goes like this:

"Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

You may be more familiar with Joshua's version:

"Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be TICKED."

Joshua now competes in Powerlifting for Special O., and has had great success.

I don't really spend a lot of time looking back. Like I told Joshua, you can't change history, and if you spend too much time looking back...you'll fail to see what is right in front of you. The main reason I look back is to remember God's faithfulness to me and to my family. THAT is a great reason to look back. God wants us to remember where we were and how far we've come with His help and guidance. He wants us to tell others, and to TELL OUR CHILDREN.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-7, 20-21 (really, this whole chapter!) "And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children...in the future your children will ask you...then you must tell them..."