Grace under pressure
August 25, 2015 by Marguerite Orane
Filed under Featured Posts, Free and Laughing, Love
5.30 a.m. and I was awake. Sleep eluded me this first morning of my return home from a week-long business trip. I crawled out of bed, made coffee, tried to meditate but nothing could settle me. The semi-finals of the Men’s 100m sprint finals at the World Athletics Championships in Beijing were due in 90 minutes, with the finals two hours later. My countryman, my hero, Usain Bolt was under pressure – or so it was said.
“He’s not fit”
“Ha has hardly run this year”
“His times are poor”
And worse:
“Justin Gatlin is on form. He has consistently run great times this year”.
The matchup was billed as “good” (drug-free Bolt) vs. evil (2 time suspension for drugs Gatlin). All Jamaicans, we who love track ,and sprinting in particular, more than anyone else in the world, were in suspense – hoping, praying, and believing that our hero would triumph.
And triumph he did! Mind over matter when mind matters – Gatlin panicked and faded, intimidated by the powerful “BIG MAN HIMSELF” (as we Jamaicans say) who remained focused, eyes never shifting from the finish line, his goal, not even twitching to the left or right. Straight for the bullseye!
I cannot say enough about Usain Bolt – talented beyond belief, charismatic, charming, loveable and very, very smart. Today I salute him for showing the world how to win when it matters – with ease, grace and joy – the true epitome of FREE AND LAUGHING!
Here are my blogs over the years that were inspired by him:
Usain Bolt for Time Person Of The Year
He is an inspiration indeed.
My friend Marva e-mailed me about this post, and I thought I would share, as she too is inspired by Usain Bolt, the “big man”!
Hi Marguerite
I can’t read enough about Bolt in this regard. For myself I am working on exposing the “Bolt” inside of me. There are so many things to take away from this singular, magnificent, powerful event. The power of suggestion is tremendous- whether that suggestion is positive or negative. More importantly however is the BELIEF in SELF. With that the negative suggestions will come but we will not only remain unaffected by them but we will achieve the greatness that is ours to achieve as long as we do what needs to be done.
Thanks Marguerite for the opportunity of reminding myself of these truths by writing it
Warm Regards
Marva