BBC Radio Leicester
Thought for the Day
© John Denney 9
August 2004
The
lecturer finished his talk on manic depression.
He asked, "So, how would you diagnose a patient who walks back and
forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair
weeping uncontrollably the next?" A
young man in the rear raised his hand and tentatively answered, "A
football manager?"
I
don’t know how Micky Adams felt about City’s 0-0 draw with West Ham. No win there, but it was a top of the table clash, if the football pundits are anything
to go by. But Leicestershire County
Cricket Club have done us proud. Winning
the Twenty20 Cup was a great achievement, given the high calibre of the opposition. Well done the Foxes!
Sporting
contests have always been important to people.
The Olympics are just a few days away, and we’ll doubtless see great
sporting performances. We’ll share the
highs and the lows, the joys and the sorrows of the young men and women who
have worked so hard over many years to represent their country in the greatest
sporting contest the world has to offer.
Sporting
contests are even mentioned in the Bible.
St. Paul uses them to explain how we should live our lives. He pictures our life on earth as a race, and
heaven as our prize. This is what he
says:
You've all been to the
stadium and seen the athletes race.
Everyone runs; one wins. Run to
win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes
and fades. You're after one that's gold
eternally.
I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert
and in top condition. I'm not going to
get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out
myself.[1]
Giving
your all doesn’t mean you have to lose your humanity. Henry Pearce of Australia was leading in the
single scull rowing at the 1928 Olympics. A duck and her string of ducklings hove
into view. They were on a collision course
and Pearce reckoned that his boat would cut the string in two and drown a few
ducklings in the process, so he pulled in his oars. When the ducks passed, Pearce again bent his
back to the task. There's a happy ending
to the story. Sometimes, like this time,
nice guys win!