About competing:
FOR YEARS, I READ ABOUT ALL OF THE FITNESS COMPETITORS IN
MAGAZINES. AT THE TIME, IT WAS ALL ABOUT SUSIE CURRY AND KELLY RYAN.
I
WAS FASCINATED BY THIS SPORT! IT LOOKED LIKE SO MUCH FUN! I KNEW THAT
I WANTED TO DO THAT SOMEDAY. I KNEW THAT I WANTED TO BE LIKE THE LADIES
IN THE MAGAZINES! I WANTED TO BE IN THE MAGAZINES-JUST LIKE THEM!
I
JUST WASN’T SURE AT THE TIME IF I BELIEVED IN MYSELF ENOUGH
TO DO IT.
I HAD TO ASK MYSELF IF I’M GOING TO SIT AROUND WANTING TO DO
THAT OR IF
I’M GOING TO GET UP AND DO IT? I DECIDED THAT IF I DID NOT AT
LEAST
TRY, I WOULD DEFINITELY REGRET IT LATER.
I DID NOT KNOW WHERE TO START. SO I ASKED AROUND AND FIGURED OUT
WHERE AND WHEN A LOCAL SHOW WAS TO BE HELD. I WAS CONCERNED THAT I
WAS
GOING TO BUST MY BUTT PREPARING FOR A COMPETITION AND THEN NOT QUALIFY
TO COMPETE BECAUSE OF NOT HAVING ARMS. I DECIDED TO MAKE A PHONE CALL
TO THE PROMOTER TO MAKE SURE IT WAS ALRIGHT FOR ME TO ENTER. I
INTRODUCED MYSELF TO HIM AND EXPLAINED MY SITUATION. HE DIDN’T
SEEM TO
“GET IT” THAT I DO NOT HAVE ARMS. I SUPPOSE WHEN ANYONE
ELSE SAYS THAT,
IT MEANS THEIR ARMS ARE LACKING IN STRENGTH OR SIZE. I FINALLY HAD
TO
EXPLAIN - THAT’S NOT THE CASE HERE. WHEN I SAY I DON’T
HAVE ARMS, I MEAN
I DON’T HAVE ARMS. THEY AREN’T THERE. THEY ARE GONE. WHEN
HE STILL
DIDN’T “GET IT”, I FINALLY HAD TO EXPLAIN THAT I
AM A BILATERAL AMPUTEE.
ONCE HE COMPREHENDED WHAT I WAS TELLING HIM, HE ASSURED ME THAT I
WOULD
BE ALLOWED TO COMPETE! HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT THE AUDIENCE WOULD LOVE
IT AND THAT I WOULD MOTIVATE A LOT OF PEOPLE! HERE COMES THE KICKER:
IN
HIS VERY NEXT BREATH, HE SAID, “BUT YOU KNOW YOU CAN NEVER WIN.”
TO
THIS DAY, THOSE WORDS LIGHT A FIRE UNDER ME LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE!
HIS WORDS MOTIVATE ME MORE THAN ANYTHING. THE FIRST TIME I MET HIM
IN
PERSON, I THANKED HIM FOR HIS WORDS OF “ENCOURAGEMENT!”
IN ALL FAIRNESS, HE REALLY IS A GOOD MAN. I KNOW HIS INTENTION WAS
GOOD. I BELIEVE HE JUST DIDN’T WANT ME TO HAVE UNREALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS. HE IS STILL VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WHAT I AM DOING!
TELLING ME THAT I “CAN’T” WAS ACTUALLY THE BEST
THING HE COULD HAVE EVER
DONE FOR ME, AND I AM GRATEFUL TO HIM. HOWEVER, I DO FULLY INTEND
TO
EXCEED HIS EXPECTATIONS AND SOME DAY PROVE HIM WRONG. LIKE I ALWAYS
SAY, “CAN’T” IS NOT AN OPTION!
