As most of you are aware I was a volunteer last week at the Asia Pacific Special Olympics that was held here in Newcastle – these Olympics are for people with a mental disability or that may have had a brain injury.

It was amazing.  Watching them go out there and do their best, (I was at the cricket) they are competitive, no doubt about that, but they are so supportive of each other, they cheered each other on, and I loved it when the batsmen came off they each were given a rousing cheer from the team regardless of how they actually played.  Did I mention it was amazing?

What they taught me is to just focus on the moment, enjoy the moment – take everything from it that you can, laugh out loud, be happy to meet everyone, even if you’ve never met them before, be proud of your achievements, regardless of how big or small and whatever you set out to do each day, you do your absolute best, you throw yourself into it, if it doesn’t go according to plan, that’s OK you just keep on going.  Be excited to meet new people, it doesn’t matter what colour their skin is or where they are from – they’re interesting!  Most importantly, everyone was treated with fairness and respect.

I feel blessed to have been a part of it all, to have met these amazing athletes and to join in during their moments to shine and to be made to feel a champion and you know what?  Each and everyone of them is a champion.

Sometimes we need to be reminded to look at life through the eyes of an innocent so that we do enjoy the beauty of the little things and don’t get lost in the humdrum of everyday life.

So take a moment to sit down, enjoy that cuppa, feel the grass beneath your feet, smell the flowers, watch a bee do its work.  Breathe.