Gymnastic Training Poem

I did gymnastics for a few years as a kid and still enjoy watching gymnastic competitions on TV. Every once in a while I youtube gymnastic montages for the heck of it. 🙂

I ran across this poem last year. It’s true for life in general and not just gymnastics. It applies to so many different aspects of my life right now especially with this long plateau I’ve hit with my CI.

There is a video someone made with the poem.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWjuYYJDXy4&feature=related

I’m not sure who wrote this poem.

“Patience is a man’s greatest virtue,
or so the saying goes.

A gymnast must have said it,
for a gymnast surely knows!

That in this funny sport of ours,
discouragement runs high.

And even the very best will find
this virtue has passed us by.

When hands are ripped and throbbing,
when every muscle’s sore,
will a gymnast still have patience
to limp in the gym for more?

When you’ve lost old moves
and progress seems slow,
will you still have faith in better days,
and not feel sad and low?

Can you admit your frightened,
yet not give in to fear?

Can you conquer pain and frustration
and often even tears?

When someone else does something,
you’ve tried so long to do…
can you still be happy for her,
or just self-pity for you?

And when success seems far away,
your efforts all in vain,
can you force yourself to wear a smile
and disregard the pain?

If despite the pain and tribulations,
you can say “I won’t give in.”

Maybe some day you’ll discover
that its now your time to win.”