When we see the Invictus Games’ competitors interviewed on television, it’s hard not to be moved by most of them.
While they have generally been challenged by major physical or mental injuries, it is the attitude they seem to share that makes these men and women, remarkable human beings.
They all appear to have made a conscious decision that their serious injuries weren’t going to define their lives and they have been prepared to do the hard work necessary to achieve their goals.
We can all learn a great deal from these remarkable competitors. In this life, we can’t control what fate throws at us. Hopefully not many of us will walk on a land mine and lose a leg. However the one thing we can control is how we respond to the various large or small disasters we encounter.
The Invictus Games have shown us hundreds of examples of how ordinary men and women have found the strength to overcome tremendous challenges. It’s very hard not to be moved when watching competitors with no legs and only one arm compete and represent their country in swimming races.
Thinking about what many of these competitors have overcome can certainly put our own challenges into perspective. Becoming a victim as a result of any of the fashionable causes doesn’t really stack up against being shot by someone trying to kill you.
Hopefully the courage and determination that the Invictus competitors have shown will motivate us all to change our attitudes and try harder to overcome our own challenges.