I hope you’ve been watching the Olympics, not just for the exciting completion and national pride rooting for their own athletes, but for the stories of redemption. Nathan Chen literally fell short of his his performance 4 years ago, and almost made up for it in his long program but only managed to finish 5th. His hard work and dedication paid off this week as he surpassed all expectations and won a gold medal, redeeming himself from 4 years ago. BUT, that’s not the redemption story I’m talking about on this Front-Row Friday. Lindsey Jacobellis didn’t fall short 4 years ago, or even 8 years ago. It was 16 years ago that she was participating in a sport called Snow Board Cross. She was the favorite to win that race, and in fact, right before crossing the finish line in the gold medal race, she saw that she was well ahead of her nearest competitor. In a split-second, she made a decision to celebrate just a tad too early. Before crossing the finish line, she flipped up her snowboard (unnecessarily) and she slipped…and fell. She literally slid the rest of the way down and while she was sliding, her competitor passed her by to win the gold, leaving Lindsey with a disappointed silver medal (if you can say winning any medal in the Olympics is disappointing). But, she did NOT let that one moment define her life. However, she has worked very hard for the last 16 years, as a five-time Olympian, to redeem herself and this week she did. We all make mistakes, and we all deserve redemption. Don’t allow one mistake determine who you are for the rest of your life.
Enjoy today’s front-row Friday!
Your usher,
Marilyn
