Chapter 8... Every Week

It is 3:08 in the afternoon. Class is out. Ice is at 4:00. Graeme is waiting patiently outside the school for his grandma to pick him up and drive him to the arena. It is not cold, but the winter is coming so it is starting to get dark early. Graeme hops into the front seat of his grandma's car and she folds his chair into the back as the trunk was full with his hockey gear. 

It is a 5-minute drive to the rink and during that time Graeme thinks about what he is going to practice on the ice. He is excited about skating. 

"Goodbye Graeme, your mom will be here when she's finished work." As grandma drives off to pick up Graeme's sisters, he hauls his gear through the doors of the arena. There isn't anybody around. The lights are off and only a few spot lights shine onto the ice surface. Graeme moves past the posters of great hockey players, who grew up playing in that same arena. Down the ramp he picks up speed and heads towards the change room. Graeme drops his sled by the bench and heaves his hockey bag on to the ground in the change room.  

There he changes out of his clothes and into his hockey gear. First, some warm pants to go under his pads. then his shoulder and elbow pads followed by his sweater and helmet. Graeme grabs his gloves and sticks, and heads out of the door back towards the bench.

Nobody was there. No arena employees or other skaters, no fans or family. Only the zamboni was there to watch Graeme as he pushed himself onto the ice. It was quiet as the ice crunched under Graeme's skates. He thrusts himself forward with a swift push on his sticks and let himself glide the full length of the rink. Graeme grabbed a puck and practiced stick handling. Forehand to backhand then right hand to left hand. Graeme felt the weight of the puck and quickly became more confident with it. In a quick motion Graeme shot the puck at the net, missing the top corner and causing a loud bang as the puck hit the glass behind. 

For an hour Graeme continued to push himself to his limit on the ice. He would sprint as fast as he can or practice his agility between dots often picking up picks stick handle with on the ice. 

Eventually, Graeme's moms showed up to take him home. He was not ready to go, but he was hungry and tired. Graeme got off the ice, changed and was ready to skate again in a week.

Chapter 7... Graeme Learns to Fly

It was a comfortable warm summer Muskoka day. The kind of day where the sun lit every corner of the room, clouds are in the sky but somehow only amplify the sunshine. There was noise all around as people moved from one place to another. They were shopping, chatting, walking and just commuting one place to another. 

Graeme and Gerald sat on a bench in the park. They had just picked up some ice cream from the snack bar. Gerald's was chocolate with all kinds of chunky chocolate chips mixed through it. Graeme preferred a sweet orange sherbet.  As the sun shawn down on them they sat in silence trying to eat as much of their treats before it dripped down their arms and all over their shirts. At this moment Graeme asked Gerald a question. "Gerry," he said, "If I had wings like yours I'd fly all over the place. Why do you just stand around all the time? What is so exciting about watching these people?"

Gerald took one bite of his chocolate ice cream and paused to let it melt on his tongue. "Is that what's holding you back?" Graeme was puzzled, "I can't." "Close your eyes." Gerald interrupted.

Graeme closed his eyes.

Gerald took a deep breath and began to lead Graeme towards imagination.

"Take a deep breath. Imagine yourself alone on top of a small hill. Flying is not about getting from one place to another. Flying is finding yourself and letting the Earth move beneath you. This way you don't end up where you want to be, but where you need to be."

Gerald continued. "Picture yourself being lifted from the ground, The effort here is not yours to make, let the ground work and fall away from you. Feel the breeze under you pushing you to the sky. Look down, do you see the ground beginning to move? Where is it taking you?"

In his mind Graeme saw and felt all of this happening. He experienced flying, but was not travelling far. "I am flying, but I'm just floating around town." "How do you feel about that?" asked Gerald. Feeling content with the experience, Graeme responded with a smile "I feel pretty good about it."

Gerald took a bite of the cone whose most the ice cream had melted away, and asked "Does that answer your question?"

Graeme did not answer. His eyes were closed, his ice cream poured out from the bottom of the cone and onto the bench.

Chapter 6... Gerald Goose

Gerry has always been an independent goose. He flies where the breeze takes him and lands where the sun shines. As a lone traveller Gerry went where he wanted when he wanted. He chose to spend most of his days south where the sun is warm and fish are plentiful though the company hollow.

Bored, Gerry left and flew north. Gerry stopped only to rest and eat. He came upon a small town with many travellers and many lakes. He found that there were many just like him, many loners. There were also many families, people playing, dining and enjoying life together.

Gerry had two pastimes. He loved standing alone on top of small hills. He loved to gaze upon all those beneath him and judge them. With his black eyes he would look down on people, shake his head about the things they do wrong. Gerry had his life together like no one else. He knew he was right and they were wrong. They were all wrong. Gerry was kind of a jerk, he did not listen to anyone and did not need anyone. For some reason he could not leave Gravenhurst. He did not understand why he was drawn to it, maybe it was the fish, maybe it was the leftover foods left behind by families after their picnics. 

Gerry was happy alone. He was content knowing he was above everyone. One day, he saw a young boy, this boy looked curious. He would explore everything with wonder as if seeing it for the first time. Gerry thought to himself, "how naive this boy is. He will soon learn the emptiness this world has". Gerry put on his dark sunglasses, flapped his wings and let out a great honk as he landed next to the boy. Their bond was instant like two magnets of opposite polls. Without a word, they both knew they were a part of each other life.

Chapter 5... Fitting In His Goal

There was a time in Graeme's life when all he wanted was to fit in. He had found the place where he belonged. Graeme now felt he wanted to sink into his new life and disappear into the crowd. In his youth, the best way for Graeme to get by was to become what surrounded him. If nobody could see him nobody could criticize him.

Graeme enjoyed his summers digging holes in the yard, swimming in the lake and skating on the ice in the winter. He admired family members who became successful hockey players. They inspired him to improve his own skills. On the days Graeme found himself alone on the ice, he pictured himself skating with all the people emulated on the ice. These are the people that pushed him skate harder, shoot harder and be stronger.

Graeme had only been learning to skate for a couple of seasons before he found himself at his first tournament. The tournament was a new city far away. The whole family was there to watch.  Graeme and his team were not very successful in the outcome, but one thing happened and inspired him more than any word could. Graeme scored his first goal.

On the ice during an insignificant game, Graeme found himself battling for puck possession in front of the opponent’s net. He was competing not just the opponent’s goalie and defensive players, but also his own teammates. It was every player for himself as a goal was on the line. Graeme reached and stabbed the ice with his stick while pushing himself deeper into the crowd of bodies. With his eyes on the puck he watched as it bounced on someone else's stick and landed right in front of him. Graeme swung and slapped at the puck. The goalie lost sight of the puck and it slid underneath him into the net. It counted, the point was added to the score board and Graeme celebrated with his teammates while his family cheered in the stands.

Graeme learned that day the exhilaration of scoring a goal. He also discovered something about himself. Graeme learned that if he worked hard for something the reward was much greater. He quickly realized that working hard at anything became its own reward. The problem was that he could no longer fit in or disappear. If he set a goal for himself it was to excel. He discovered the value in being different and that his difference provided him the tools to succeed. 

Interlude From Graeme... I'm Watching The World Championships This Year

Sometimes I will take a break from story telling to bring you back to the present. I am having a great time sharing stories from my past, all of which are based on actual facts. 

It has been near eight months since I announced my retirement from competitive sledge hockey. I have not looked back. It was the right choice. Between April 26th and May 3rd I will watch for the first time a Sledge Hockey World Championship (check the link for details) from the stands.  I have been fortunate to compete in, win and lose my fair share of World Championships and I am sending my best to Team Canada in Buffalo, NY. 

Even though I have stopped competing my heart is still in the game and am looking for opportunities to share my experience. These blogs can attest I love sharing my story as I believe there many lessons throughout it that can be shared.

If you ever have questions to ask me about competing in sledge hockey, growing up in a wheelchair or challenging yourself to succeed, please just ask. It is that simple, just ask and I will be very happy to respond.

Thanks for your time this week. We will get back to the story next week.