Phelps. Of course. Seeing my background.
Bold. Run so fast and elegant.
Dara Torres. Anyone saying something about age ?

Know these people ?

German Mathias Steiner, won gold in weightlifting, lost his partner a few months before.

Dutch Maarten Van der Weijden, won gold 10 km swimming in open water, was diagnosed with acute leukemia in 2001.

South African Natalie Du Toit, participated in the 10 km swimming in open water. Finished 16th. Is an  Athens and Peking  Paralympics participant too. Lost a leg cause of an accident.

What does this tell me : never give up. Never give up your dream.

Did you see it ? I did.
The lovely lady in a wheelchair in the choreography. First I did think : Paralympics are integrated. Fine. Should be like that.
Suddenly the lady got up and moved quiet fine, did even some acrobatic things.

Now I think : was that lady disabled at all ??? I wonder. Strange. If not it would be a "faux pas".

Dear Sebastian, help me out with this please :)

A good pediatrician, who knew something about premature babies.

After getting my law degree I wanted to go into the diplomatic service. My father worked in foreign countries all his life, so I guess it was sort of a fascination to do the same.
Life presented me with a career nearby. Dream career ? A career is never dream but a case of skill and hard working. But mostly I enjoy what I do, so if the dream is there, well that is a great gift from Universe :)

For me "dream careeer" is situated on a whole other level, in my personal life : do I know what I want and what not, what drives me, what do I want to achieve for myself. In short : do I have my act together, after much struggle and anger and pain. It feels to me I have. And for this I am happy.

I am certainly not a barricadehopper :).
I strongly believe in "being there and just doing my thing" in "promoting" the disability issue.

On the other hand when people ask what it is all about, I'm glad to answer the question. For instance, people are very interested how I am driving my car and what technique comes with it.

Because I can connect to them in a way and want to share. I never read other answers in advance. I feel I can be my own woman when it comes to that.

In 1980, everybody knows : the Moscow boycot.
Because the Russians said they were not ready for people with disabilities, we moved to the Netherlands, to Arnem, a 4-hours drive from where I live.
On the day on the Opening Ceremony, I had to pass the exam for the job I am still doing now. So I did my exam in the Olympic outfit :)
My mother was stand-by  and drove me as fast as possible to the Arnem Stadium "Papendal", where we arrived just in time. Yes, me too waited in the catacombes and marched in. That is why watching the Opening gives me a special feeling still.

As to the competion I was the complete outsider with hardly any international experience and it is only because of the pledge of my clubtrainer that  I got the possiblity to participate. Nobody could even image that I got a silver and bronze medal.

Two days after me getting my bronze medal I got message I had passed the exam. It was a memorable summer indeed.

What it all has been still inspires me until this day, in everyday life.

The comng weeks my TV/recording divice will run non stop. I am a real sports fan, swimming and atletics on top. Not forgetting do my own aquagym of course.

London 20112: I will be there, hopefully with family and friends and who knows, some of my Gaia friends. Perhaps we could have a Olympic sangha gathering then.Suggestions are welcome.

Don't let go of your dreams, even if others say to you  you should.
Explore your boundaries, beyond the selfinflicted ones or those inflicted by others.
The Universe never lets a hearts desire unanswered.

In doing this be gentle with yourself. Know that time is not an obstacle, but a great friend in the process. And trust the Universe to sent you people and circumstances to help to achieve your goals.

Some weeks ago a started the 8 - week programm of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). I learned a lot more than just coping with my sleeping problems and stressful situations on the workfloor.
I got a whole new understanding of my disability and of the mobility issue that comes with it. Finding the balance with my ever mobile mind and "active personality" and this body of mine as it is. Perhaps this is in fact the challenge of my life.
Until now I "coped". Since the course there is more than coping. It is about "getting grip" on the whole situation. That in itself is a gift.

Difficult things related to my disability have  a name now for example having the wish to being outdoors in summer and not being able to in a way that feel pleasant to me without the assistance of others, who are often non available for different reasons, gives me "summer mobility blues." Others understand now when I say this. That in itself takes the "drama" away.

I find the course a great enrichement of my life giving me tools (some very simple ones in fact) to expand my horizon, to feel and see the same things in a different light and perspective. It is part of my life now.