August 10, 2006 - In the News
“WSJ News Alert: UK Officials Disrupt Terror Plot”
It was the title of an e-mail alert that I received in my Inbox that caught my attention in a way that no such previous message ever had. By now, I’m sure that everyone has heard the news. Apparently 24 men of Pakistani origin were arrested in Britain and an unspecified number were captured in Pakistan in relation to a plot to simultaneously take down as many as 10 planes flying between the United States and the United Kingdom. One of the routes and airlines targeted—United from London’s Heathrow to Washington, D.C.—is the one that my team mates and I are scheduled to take on August 28. Though our plans remain unchanged, I know that the experience promises to be dramatically different than it would have been had the World Championships been held last month. Pray for us… “Faith… Courage.
Once again, I’m reminded that the world continues to turn, oblivious to the labor of its inhabitants, even including rowers. Still, fears and unanswered questions in tow, Jesse and I took to the water this afternoon because there remains a task to be accomplished, a goal to be pursued.
This, I think, is why I love the water. As a blind person, I am accustomed to dealing with a large amount of uncertainty every day. My surroundings, the appearance of friends and family, pictures on Television… these are all things that have a somewhat hazy depiction in my mind. In a boat, though, there is complete self-awareness, complete understanding of space and position. On the water, I exist in only about 6 feet of horizontal space. The pin, the oar lock, the stretchers, and the seat are always the same. They are familiar and, in that familiarity, I find a sense of peace.
Our work out today mirrored my mood. We started out by burning off nervous energy by doing a few race pace 2k’s, even though the race we’ll be running is only 1,000 meters long. Both felt pretty good and I’m starting to hope that someday they add a pairs event to the Paralympics.
After the hard pieces, we rowed a very relaxed steady state back to the boat house. We didn’t talk very much, contenting ourselves to listen to the click of the oar handles and the sound of the blades holding against the water as we leveraged the boat across the lake. Really, it was a calming moment: a piece of serenity after a long day of uneasiness.
In other news, tomorrow we report to Philadelphia to row with the whole team. I’m very ready for it, and so is everyone else from what I can tell. We like each other, and we’re excited to get faster and to grow as a crew.
Also, the entries for our race were published this week, adding to my nerves but also giving me a moment of realization. I cannot describe how proud I felt when I saw my named posted under “USA.” I remember being taken back when I lined up for my first races in college against big name schools like Texas, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, etc. I can’t imagine what it will feel like to hear them poll “Great Britain, lane 1, China, lane 2, USA, lane 3,” etc. Wow… I just wish we could get it on tomorrow instead of waiting two more weeks.
It was the title of an e-mail alert that I received in my Inbox that caught my attention in a way that no such previous message ever had. By now, I’m sure that everyone has heard the news. Apparently 24 men of Pakistani origin were arrested in Britain and an unspecified number were captured in Pakistan in relation to a plot to simultaneously take down as many as 10 planes flying between the United States and the United Kingdom. One of the routes and airlines targeted—United from London’s Heathrow to Washington, D.C.—is the one that my team mates and I are scheduled to take on August 28. Though our plans remain unchanged, I know that the experience promises to be dramatically different than it would have been had the World Championships been held last month. Pray for us… “Faith… Courage.
Once again, I’m reminded that the world continues to turn, oblivious to the labor of its inhabitants, even including rowers. Still, fears and unanswered questions in tow, Jesse and I took to the water this afternoon because there remains a task to be accomplished, a goal to be pursued.
This, I think, is why I love the water. As a blind person, I am accustomed to dealing with a large amount of uncertainty every day. My surroundings, the appearance of friends and family, pictures on Television… these are all things that have a somewhat hazy depiction in my mind. In a boat, though, there is complete self-awareness, complete understanding of space and position. On the water, I exist in only about 6 feet of horizontal space. The pin, the oar lock, the stretchers, and the seat are always the same. They are familiar and, in that familiarity, I find a sense of peace.
Our work out today mirrored my mood. We started out by burning off nervous energy by doing a few race pace 2k’s, even though the race we’ll be running is only 1,000 meters long. Both felt pretty good and I’m starting to hope that someday they add a pairs event to the Paralympics.
After the hard pieces, we rowed a very relaxed steady state back to the boat house. We didn’t talk very much, contenting ourselves to listen to the click of the oar handles and the sound of the blades holding against the water as we leveraged the boat across the lake. Really, it was a calming moment: a piece of serenity after a long day of uneasiness.
In other news, tomorrow we report to Philadelphia to row with the whole team. I’m very ready for it, and so is everyone else from what I can tell. We like each other, and we’re excited to get faster and to grow as a crew.
Also, the entries for our race were published this week, adding to my nerves but also giving me a moment of realization. I cannot describe how proud I felt when I saw my named posted under “USA.” I remember being taken back when I lined up for my first races in college against big name schools like Texas, North Carolina, Georgia Tech, etc. I can’t imagine what it will feel like to hear them poll “Great Britain, lane 1, China, lane 2, USA, lane 3,” etc. Wow… I just wish we could get it on tomorrow instead of waiting two more weeks.
posted by Jamie at 11:12 PM
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