At the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, American sprinter Michael Johnson lined up in the final of the men’s 400m. Having already won the 200m, Johnson was about to attempt something that had never been done before; to be the first person to win both the 200m and 400m races. In an era before Usain Bolt, Michael Johnson was as good as it got. His upright running style and golden shoes certainly made him stand out amongst other athletes, and coupled with his humble and happy disposition he was a true champion on and off the track.
It was no surprise to anyone when Michael Johnson crossed the finish line in first place, making history in a new Olympic record. As the crowd cheered and Johnson gave his golden shoes to his Mum and Dad who were watching in the stands, another champion also emerged; this champion didn’t win the gold medal or set any records, in fact he was the runner who came 2nd. However his pre-medal ceremony interview and insight into the Olympic 400m event has earned him champion status in my books.
Roger Black was from Great Britain and behind Michael Johnson, was one of the favourites to feature in the medals in the 400m having won his heat and semi final. In the final he finished over 1 second behind Johnson, which is a lot in sprinting terms! Camera footage captures 2 moments that I have since watched over and over. The first is the pure joy on his face when he finishes the race and shakes the hand of Johnson, with the 2nd moment being as Johnson takes the podium to receive his Gold Medal. Black can be seen in the background, clapping and cheering Johnson who he considered the greatest athlete of his generation.
In his pre-ceremony interview, an elated Black speaks so eloquently of the joy of participating at the Olympic Games, and perhaps more profoundly at being able to compete against one of his heroes. Whilst Black wasn’t able to win, he was able to get a front row seat to sporting history being made; and for that he was incredibly grateful. Black goes on to tell the reporter he is doing his absolute best to slow himself down in order to take in everything happening around him. Roger Black reminds me there is always so much to be grateful for and the importance of stopping to appreciate what is right in front of us.
I shared this story (along with video footage) at our Monday morning assembly on the first day of school. At the same time I also introduced our memory verse, John 1:16 which says ‘From His abundance we have received one gracious blessing after another’. The challenge for the students and for all of us is to stop and recognise all the blessings that have been given to us, which can sometimes be hard to see if we are only looking down. Here are just a few of the blessings I reminded our students of as they begin a new term at PCS:
They have a roof over their head and food in their tummies
They have families that love and care for them
Term 3 is a chance for a fresh start!
And so importantly, they have a school full of staff that care for them and want the best for them. We are on their team and cheering them on, as is our amazing God.
Putting gold medals aside and also recognising that we have families and students who are going through a range of challenging circumstances, my simple encouragement is this; whatever this day holds, let’s be purposeful in stopping and recognising all the blessings that we have, no matter how small. The power of a positive mindset is immense, especially for our children who can be so greatly impacted by external circumstances.
If nothing else, all of us have been blessed today with yet another opportunity to show kindness to someone and make a positive difference in their life. Let’s keep our eyes up PCS. We are part of something really amazing here, and like Roger Black, let’s not be so busy doing life that we miss all the incredible things we are a part of every day, not least of which is working together to educate our amazing students.
Have a great week and keep an eye out for the next Olympic champions; they won’t always be the athlete wearing the Gold.
Glen
