Little Cheetah

To counterbalance all of the JAs of the world, are truly awesome people who inspire. They are like a spoonful of sugar...helping some of life's minor unpleasantries go down.

For example: Oscar Pistorius

Oscar is only 22, a Paralympian, and described by throngs of people as the fastest man with no legs. He had both legs removed at ten months of age, but let nothing stop him in his pursuit of becoming a fierce and able bodied athlete.

He has won numerous medals, and he does it on a pair of futuristic looking Cheetah Blades made by a company called Ossur.

He did this despite being different, looking different, wearing prothestic as a young boy, and losing his Mom when he was only 15. In his words, athletics saved his life and his spirit. I applaud anyone who can rise above adversity to face fear and failure and come out swinging.

But what was most compelling about the articles I read, was this:

Oscar racing a little 5 year old girl named Ellie Challis on her new Cheetah blades.

In the not too distant past, a little girl born without limbs had limited options available to her that would provide movement or freedom. More importantly, a child in a wheelchair did not have the access or capability of "playing" in the traditional ways that children play. Some of these kids would spend a lifetime on the sideline...just wishing for a chance to get in the game.

So now, to see a beautiful little girl, running alongside an Olympic athlete, as if being born without limbs was a minor and temporary inconvenience was inspiring and to be candid, moved my heart.

I applaud the advancements we have seen in our lifetime, and I hope for many more so that every child born a bit different can run, and play, and be free. And I hope our society continues to evolve to understand and accept that sometimes differences mean the same kind of different as everyone else.

And darling Ellie, you have so much ahead of you. I hope Oscar inspires you like he has already inspired so many others. And I cheer you along as you run, and play, and be free.