Silver lining and all that

Like many people in the world I imagine I am watching the closing ceremonies of the Paralympics and Olympics complete. It is full of sadness for me as I have become a real sport nut in these last few weeks. But also with gratitude, and this is going to sound so twisted, gratitude that I have been so ill that I can't work and have been able to see what we can achieve.

I like so many was scheduled to be working that mundane 9-5 all through the summer and would have only caught the evening highlights. I wouldn't have been able to stay up and watch the opening and closing ceremonies that will be remembered by millions. So yes I am thankful my illness has crippled me this summer, so I have been forced to see what can be achieved despite the odds both able and less agile.Sitting through heats and finals where records were smashed like the finest china. Where medal totals were increasing by the minutes. Where people whose back injury just made them fight back harder.

"We will never think of Disability in the same way - Paralympians have lifted the clouds of limitations" Lord Coe

And yes they did, but so did the Olympics as each and every athlete there had their own fight to achieve their place there. I would love to take it that one step further we will never look at ourselves and those around us, whether local, national or inter nationally the same way.

Please let this be silver lining on a the clouds of the world