While doing a little bit of research for my Video Sunday post on LaneBailey.com, I ran across this video... I have to say... it brought a tear to my eye.
A lot of my friends on Active Rain know that my 5 year old plays ice hockey. He loves it. He isn't particularly good, but he's 5... And there is such joy on his face while he is out on the ice playing. And as I watch the Winter Olympics, I often think about the parents... and the sacrifices THEY made in order for their kids to become these incredible athletes.
In order for Garrett to play ice hockey, in addition to the money (racing is more expensive...) there is the time. The nearest rink to us is 30 minutes away. It isn't such a big deal right now, but if he were playing league hockey, he would have two practices and one or two games each week.
But what about the families of these Olympians? Many of them practice EVERY DAY. And many of tham have practiced every single day since they were kids. The parents vacation time involved going to tournaments. Their leisure weekends involved more tournaments and practices. They became experts in equipment and managing travel. Their kids had to learn time management in order to participate in school, but the parents had to enforce it and keep everything on track...
Coach, Manager, Psychologist, Motivator... Mom, Dad... And I bet that there are no prouder people in the world than the ones that look on... win or lose... while their kids "play." And I can only imagine the disappointment if their child falls or wrecks out of competition...
Here's to the Moms & Dads of all of the Olympians.
To Their Moms, They'll Always Be Kids (P&G Commercial)








For many years about this time I have a conversation with my mother... and it revolves around "Coming Home for Christmas". Up until the passing of my grandmother a few years ago, "Coming Home for Christmas" meant going up to Midland, MI... where I never lived. After that, my mom would talk about me going up to her home in Hampton, VA. I loved my grandmother, and enjoyed spending Christmas there... but it wasn't my home... And since I turned 18 and moved to Minneapolis, MN (and later here to Atlanta, GA), my mother's house hasn't been MY home, either...
Obviously, I am a real estate agent. I sell houses... so people will have a place to keep their stuff. Sometimes it can even be an investment. Most often, in addition to buying houses, people are buying homes. Their kids may run through the doors after getting off the school bus... wanting a snack. It could be the place they will open presents with their grandkids. Perhaps one day in the past of the futre it was the scene of someone proposing to their soulmate. Or maybe where they dropped their bags after the honeymoon.
When we get out into the world, there are two main methods of getting from Place A (where you are) to Place B (the portion of the world that you are getting out to). 
My son had a hockey mini-camp today with the Atlanta Thrashers. He has another one coming up tomorrow, too... He hasn't had the opportunities to skate that he had over the summer, or even last year... his skills are slipping a little.
Thomas Edison saw failure as a step towards success... Kids are used to falling in order to walk and run, dropping the ball in order to throw and sliding to learn to stop. Unlike adults, they aren't so worried about making a mistake. I think that sometime around Junior High School kids start comparing their results. And they start to be self-conscious aboult their lack of perfection...