Well it has been a while, but I hope I haven’t lost you.  I have been looking into things that will help me find my way after 8 years of training. I quote I recently heard at the  Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame dinner resonated with me, “it’s not what you accumulate in life, but what you spread”. This was from Canadian Olympic Hall of fame  inductee and long time UBC coach Bob Hindmarch.

When I first heard it I didn’t think much of it, it didn’t seem too profound and at an inductee ceremony those are the quotes you expect to hear.   However I soon took to reflection and thought to myself if he is being honored in such a way there is probably some real substance to his work. I also had a bit of a flash back to the first time I met Bob, it was at a student run conference on the Olympics. We were both speaking about athlete experiences and after being taken to two site changes and told we had a shortened speaking time I was a bit nervous about how I was going to have to change my presentation. Bob, I imagine sensed this and initiated a sequence of events that led me to feeling better about the situation. In short fashion he asked me if I had spoken at events like these before, my reply was yes, he then reassured me that I’d be okay and asked me if I needed a podium, as we were now speaking in the luncheon room with no stage/podium.

His only concern seemed to be that I would be ok, as a speaker the time before a presentation can sometimes be nerve racking and he managed to cut all nerves out with his caring attitude. If we now go back to his quote, “it’s not what you accumulate in life, but what you spread” , Bob could have used his past speaking experience and used it solely to his advantage of and performed a great presentation, however this was not enough for him, he wanted me and everyone else to have a great presentation and by spreading his reassurance and concern for my well being allowed me to have a great talk.

I sometimes wonder if the direction I am choosing it the right one, well after seeing a man walk the walk, and talk the talk I can now see that it’s not always about the exact direction you are going but the positive influences you can have along the way. And when the time is right or an opportunity arises then that is the time to make a decision. In the meantime I will do what I can to help others and with time it should come back to me. Perhaps this is something we can all set out to achieve?

If you are looking for ways to help I have charity that is looking to raise funds for their cause. They are called Right to Play, and they are having a golf tournament in Vancouver on May 29th at the University Cub.

Right to Play