Help Others Where You Can

Help Others Where You Can


A few years ago at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win.

All, that is, except one boy who stumbled on the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times and began to cry. The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. They all turned around and went back. Every one of them.

One girl with Down's Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said, "This will make it better."

All nine linked arms and walked across the finish line together.

Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing:

What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves.

What truly matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course.

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Origins: The story is more true than not, although its primary point has been grossly exaggerated. According to folks at the Special Olympics Washington office, the incident happened at a 1976 track and field event held in Spokane , Washington . A contestant did take a tumble, and one or two of the other athletes turned back to help the fallen one, culminating in their crossing the finish line together, but it was only one or two, not everyone in the event. The others continued to run their race.

The story is thus not about an entire class of "special people" who spontaneously tossed aside their own dreams of going for gold in favor of helping a fallen competitor, but rather one about a couple of individuals who chose to go to the aid of another contestant. Unfortunately, this tale as it is now being told helps further a stereotype that deficiencies in intelligence are compensated for by unfailingly sweet natures and a way of looking at the world in childlike wonder. Special Olympians train long and hard for their events and are every bit as committed as athletes who compete in any other athletic endeavors. The Special Olympics are not a casual get-together organized to give less fortunate members of the community a day to socialize and perhaps run in a foot race or two. They're highly organized sporting events taken very seriously by all involved, with each competitor striving to do his best. It's about trying. And succeeding.

The Special Olympics oath is "Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt."

无奈

是给你面子。不是我怕，或则畏惧麻烦。
我坚信自己说的没错。可是为了不不让你难堪，我暂且收敛一点。

可是，我还是继续观察，而且憎恨一切不可理喻的事情。

2009 Sabah Trip

2009 年6月27-28日 吉隆坡之旅

2009 年6月27-28日 吉隆坡之旅

半夜三更，我还没睡；肯定是刚才那杯浓浓的茶在作怪。

已经从吉隆坡之旅回来近两天，原本要上载一些照片，无奈BLOGSPOT 应该是出现了一些故障，无法上载。只好等到明天再尝试。

这次的国外旅行，十分短暂，去的国家也只是我们的邻国马来西亚。
山不在高，有仙则灵。

旅行不在乎长短，重要是和谁去。这次我可是和几位认识将近10年的老友出国，而且是头一回出国，因此意义非凡。

他们几位都没有到过吉隆坡，唯独我有到访过。所以我就只好安排行程，带他们逛街以及品尝当地美食。我们的‘大哥’进财，在之前负责安排巴士以及酒店住宿。进财为人细心，所以安排的还很妥当。

2天1夜的行程，包括我，大家都买了些东西。遗憾的是无法登上吉隆坡双峰塔，因为票已经分发完了。

这次的旅行，也让我体会到，新加坡人真的太幸福了。习惯了舒适的生活，对于比较‘差’的生活习惯，生活水平；新加坡人已经到了‘无法接受’的地步。似乎只有‘新加坡水平’才是‘对的’，才能接受。对于不同的环境，很多新加坡人都无法适应。

天啊，世界那么大，所谓适者生存嘛，有时候必须懂得包容，容忍，以及接受不同环境，甚至比较恶劣的事物也应该懂得处之泰然啊。不然得话如何在国际舞台生存？无法生存就只有做‘井底之蛙’了。

随遇而安，既来之，则安之。

古人的智慧，现代都市人，都做不到了。

说实在的，吉隆坡为马国首都，环境已经不错了。当然还是比不上‘小红点’，但是也不至于差到如同‘第三世界国家’啊。看到一些不如‘小红点’的事物，其实也不必大惊小怪的啦。
增广见闻，如果能到处走走，多体会不同文化，不同习俗，就能知道，世界无奇不有，比新加坡好的，差的；也是司空见惯，毋需惊慌失措。
事忙我不忙，事非我不非，才能临危不乱嘛！