"No Fear", "Perseverance", "Failure Is Not An Option" and "Never Back Down" are just a few of the motivational quotes he lives his life by.
Though I know he said it as an almost 7 year old, my favorite will always be "Life's Tough...But I'm Tougher".
That was a quote heard around the world and I know many, OK thousands of people including myself, wore that short saying, said by a cute 7 year old chubby cheeked kid, stamped in a blue bracelet, on their wrist.
Since Kody joined Cross Country, he and Kolin practice early every morning, running five miles before school even starts.
Every night after dinner, Kody takes that a step further and runs up and down our street and two hilly side streets over and over {OK, this is Florida, everybody else would call our "hill" an "incline" LOL!}. Practice makes perfect. Practice makes our Bear even stronger.
While at the same time I may be just walking, I still watch him carefully {just in case, it's a Mom thing} and I am always, always amazed at how far along in his life journey he has come.
In a strange kind of way, when I watch him, I am reminded of the movie "Forest Gump". Remember when he has the leg braces on as a child and he was running from the bike chasing bullies? Remember how with every step, his legs grew stronger and soon enough the braces came falling off and he kept running...never stopping, getting stronger and stronger.
To me that is a reflection on the start of Kody's war against pediatric brain cancer 7 1/2 years ago.
Yes, an extremely rare brain tumor called a "brainstem microglioma" tried to bully him, it tried to beat him down, it tried to paralyze him, it tried to end his life on Earth.
But, you know...with every sucker punch cancer threw at him, he blocked it. With every hurdle, no matter how high placed in front of him, he jumped it. With every challenge came hard work, determination, sweat, tears {mine, not his} and Kody's ultimate success.
A couple of nights ago I followed him on his nightly run. As he stood at the top of that hill {incline, hehe}, he took a short breather before taking off again and looked right at me.
At that very moment I realized that while my son would never grow up to be another Einstein, Picasso, Pavarotti or Mozart, Kody is and always will be the most bravest, heroic and determined person in my life.
My Bear is definitely taking shape and becoming a truly awesome young man.
I know I've said it before and I will not only say it again today but I will tell him everyday for the rest of my life, I absolutely love this child with all my heart.
Take care everyone and have a beautiful day. :0)
4 comments:
Kody inspires me daily. I hope to one day to have an ounce of his "toughness"!!!!!
Kim, you captured my thoughts exactly!!! I completely understand every single word you typed. Now I am going to wipe the tears and blow my nose and go hug Katie my lady.
Kody is an inspiration to many and one awesome kid! Sorry, young man. ;)
Ps still have our blue bracelet sitting in my bedroom next to our "life is a team sport" (Hendrick's from Nascar)
Amen
PHEW! Crazy day yesterday, then the fam headed out to our school's Varsity football game last night. I had stopped by and saw your post yesterday. It was wonderful. The pic of Kody was awesome. Your words were awesome. What can I say? I still wear Kody's blue band and tell anybody that asks. And those that don't ask too! :o)
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