[2021-11-28] When a tree falls
In her early teens, American Nevin Harrison was a sprinter with Olympic dreams. But then she started experiencing hip pain. She was diagnosed with hip dysplasia: her hip socket and thighbone were not connecting properly. She would have to give up running. Not only was track out of the question, but so too were soccer and softball, which she had played as a child.
However, rather than quit athletics altogether because her hopes for Olympic success on the track had been dashed, she switched sports. She took up canoeing, becoming world champion three years later and Olympic champion two years after that.
For me, Harrison's unconventional narrative was one of the most inspiring stories that emerged at the Toyko 2020 Olympics.
I loved her determination. When an obstacle to her dreams impeded her progress, she simply created a new path to the Olympics, winning a gold medal in the inaugural appearance of women's canoeing at the games.
It made me think about my cancer: the shock of the diagnosis, its impact on my trajectory, and the opportunity it offered to be more present with my family.
When a tree falls in the forest, make a new path.
