Sometimes, life just is not fair, and for whatever reason, I seem to have the hardest time grasping that reality.

Cognitively, I know that things will not always go my way, but it still does not take away the pain of being shafted.

However, it is at these times I find myself turning to inspirational messages and readings to help keep my bones from rotting!

One inspirational quote I found was from Joseph Campbell. I do not know who this man is, but I liked what he said.

“We must let go of the life we planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”

I am thinking seriously of tattooing this onto my forearm so that it will be a constant reminder of all the blessings that are yet to come my way, and I know they will!

Faith is a challenging notion to embrace, especially in today’s culture, but, thankfully, still it is alive as evident in the spirit of the Olympics and those competing.

For the past two weeks, there have been many victories taking place in Rio de Janeiro, and in the midst of triumphs, there were also heartbreaks.

I did not glue myself to the T.V. watching the competitions, but I did make it a point to catch highlights on news broadcasts.

Simone Biles, along with the other four adorable U.S. Olympic gymnasts, were awesome, and once again, Michael Phelps did not disappoint.

Though watching each and every Olympic event has never been at the top of my to-do list, I do, however, very much enjoying hearing the back-stories on these young men and women who compete.

I will never be going for the gold, but listening to their stories helps give me a glance into a world of theirs that is a tad bit more relatable.

Life has not always been a piece of cake for these athletes. Not counting the thousands of hours spent practicing when their peers were out partying, some of these competitors have overcome tremendous odds.

Their stories were inspiring, especially when inspiration and faith is what my soul has been needing.

Biles, who is now being called the best female gymnast ever, was raised by her grandparents since her mother suffered from drug and alcohol addiction.

Even though this young woman (she is 19 years old) has achieved success, her life obviously has not always been easy.

In the 2013 Secret U.S. Classic, Biles fell and made huge mistakes in several of the events, rattling her confidence, she said.

“It was just going downhill from there, and I just thought it was the end of the world. Nothing was really going right.”

Biles admitted this setback put her in a less than positive mental place, but she sought advice and persevered.

Michael Phelps, who is the most decorated Olympian, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder when he was a young boy.

I can only image the trouble he must have gotten into in a classroom where his friends could calmly learn. However, his mother decided to get him into swimming to help channel his energy.  The rest is history.

Jillion Potter, a member of the U.S. women’s rugby team overcame cancer and a serious neck injury to compete at this year’s games. This woman chose not to throw in the towel, and allowed her drive, determination and faith to endure.

There will be times when things just seem terrible. Life is not fair, but determination and faith will get us through.

 

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer for The Vicksburg Post. You may reach her at terri.frazier@vicksburgpost.com.