Sure, the news could drag my spirit down, or the weather, a rugby game cancelled, Rome bailing out of the 2020 Olympic bid, remembering Nodar Kumaritashvili two years ago in Whistler. And the list goes on… until I decide to stop it and steer my spirit for good (if not better). It is just a matter of how I look at what is happening and how I respond. Recently, I have been reminded, yet again, that Beauties that make a difference in people’s life are everywhere: either to grab or to work on.
One of my daily discoveries introduced me to Foot Océane, where, the time of a low tide, the Saint Jean de Monts, France’s beach becomes the biggest soccer field in the world to welcome close to 5,000 soccer kids, knowing some of them have never walked in the sand before. Creating such an event along with Mother Nature carries an even bigger message as the field boundaries, drawn into the sand, get washed away with the high tide. How much greener can you get? And how much more awesome can one feel listening to all these young soccer players celebrate and giggle on their scores?
It takes a little idea, and time. Michael Schratter matured his idea of riding and raising awareness about mental health for 15 years. 40,000 km and 33 countries later, he managed to engage into some exceptional interactions with youth and adults around mental health education. All it took, really, was the courage to pursue an idea, HIS idea. Ryley Breiddal’s version of pushing through his own limits translated to many personal breakthroughs. Hiking the Continental Divide Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, he concentrated on his journey, later realising his feet had grown in size and local cows lack humour when presented with beef jerky.
The latest Feat Canada simply left me pumped up, the kind of event after which I feel anything is possible (you know, when, regardless of the weather, I drive the window down singing along some loud music I love). It is not so much about driving fast: rather it is about driving, with a goal in mind, with open senses and the willingness to take a detour when Plan C has failed. Thoreau said it perfectly: “Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing it is not fish they are after.” I cannot help it: people who flirt with adventure inspire and boost me, especially when it involves sport and brings smiles on people’s faces.
I (aka We?) need failure to savour success, and anybody can beat the one(s) who stayed slouched on a couch, tergiversating and hesitating. Feeling down is ok, picking myself up is better: emulating this kind of stories can only lift my spirit up, and I love it. I get a kick out of listening to others’ experiences, as a stepping stone. Very happy to get kicked, indeed. On Valentine’s Day or any other day: my job to bounce!