It's an age old tale, but life can be a right b*&ch in dropping bombs among your field of flowers just when things seems to be going well.
I was struck recently by the tale of David Miller, whose book I blogged about.
David Miller polarises opinion in cycling, a 'convicted' drug cheat who served a 2 year ban and then returned to cycling as a huge advocate of anti-doping. A WADA Ambassador for anti-doping and a hugely intelligent guy who wrote fascinatingly about why cyclists take drugs and the pressures involved.
That said, he cheated but was still allowed to ride in the 2012 Olympics which for some people was hard to stomach. For myself, I like David Miller a lot and have huge respect for his honesty and the way he was able to return to the fold after such a fall from grace because he loved what he did. But his latest story does highlight what we all go through in life with best laid plans and all that.
2014 is Miller's last year in cycling, he intends to retire after the common wealth games in Glasgow. Despite his 2 year ban, up until 2013 he had competed in 12 Tour De France, even winning a stage last year which is quite a phenomenal effort. He is one of only 6 Britons to have worn the Yellow Jersey.
His last few weeks in cycling were to be the British Championships followed by the Tour De France and into the Common Wealth Games but immediately before the British Championships he became ill with a virus, was unable to compete and was dropped unceremoniously by Team Garmin from the Tour De France Team. Heartbreaking as that is for Miller, it's made even worse by the fact that he is part owner of Team Garmin and just demonstrates not only the cruelty of sport but the cruelty of life. Where best laid plans for one final hurrah were whipped and completely removed.
It made me think backwards though... maybe Miller would have approached the 2013 Tour differently had he known it was his last one. Perhaps we would all react differently if we knew it was our last one. Perhaps more, we should react as though it is our last one.
It would be difficult to live like that on a day to day basis but very very important to try and build some of that into our lives to appreciate how lucky we are and the amazing things we are allowed to do which could be taken away any minute.
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