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June 25,
2004
The road to success
and happiness is paved with planning…and more planning. This is the
modern mantra of American culture. If you want to be happy, plan for
it.
Tasha’s life was a
model of planning. Born Natasha Danvers in 1977, she is one of
Britain’s “brightest Olympic hopes” in track and field, a consistent
medalist in hurdles. As a junior, she was the 1995 European Junior
Silver medalist, moving on to sixth place in the World Juniors in
Sydney the following year.
In 2001 she took
the Gold medal in the 400m hurdles in the World Universities held in
Bejing. On an objective numerical basis, scoring the best British all
round hurdling performers, Tasha is ranked third. Against world
hurdlers, she is ranked sixth.
If anyone knows
about the planning it requires to be successful, Tasha knows. Looking
ahead to the 2004 Olympics, she told Sporting Life in 2003,
“I’ve been able to train hard. I’m different mentally, more
dedicated. The results are showing now.”
And she knows her
training is paying off. “The way I’m running right now, the times I’m
putting down, I think I should be aiming for not just making teams or
finals. What I should be aiming for right now- I’m at the point where
I can go in and expect a medal.”
Tasha’s
determination and dedication to her goals is the stuff parents and
teachers thrill to see. She is the shining light we hold in front of
students to inspire them. “Here,” we tell our young people, “this is
what planning for success looks like. You can be just like
Tasha. And you can succeed.”
But Tasha has
another lesson to teach our young people. She can teach them one of
the most important lessons of planning for success, a lesson
about what happens when the best-laid plans take an unexpected turn.
Right in the midst
of her intense training schedule, Tasha noticed a change in her body.
“I was in the shape of my life. I was more focused than ever
before….Then things didn’t feel quite right. I was feeling tired all
the time, feeling flat for no reason.”
A trip to the
doctor surprised Tasha and her trainer/husband Darrell Smith. They
were facing an unplanned pregnancy.
“The timing could
not have been worse” she told reporters. “If I had run at Athens it
would have meant greater financial security, more recognition. There
is nothing negative that can happen when you have a shot at an Olympic
medal.”
Like millions of
women and couples around the world, Tasha and Darrell faced “The
Choice.” Even the term “unplanned pregnancy” seems to suggest getting
rid of the pregnancy and getting back to the plan.
And like millions
of women, Tasha is truthful, “I cannot lie, I considered an abortion.
On the one hand you look at the situation and say, ‘I can have a baby
and incur more costs, more problems.’ We don’t even have a house yet,
we are staying with Darrell’s parents. And I am the major
breadwinner.”
But this is where
Tasha can teach us the ability to plan for the unplanned. Considering
her options, she realized the path to happiness is paved with more
than plans. “Even the thought of it [an abortion] depressed me. I
cried thinking about it as I tried to convince myself this is what I
should do.”
Tasha is still
facing an unplanned pregnancy, but she is happy now. She looks
forward to giving birth in early 2005.
Darrell reminds
everyone that her career is bigger than one competition. “We will
definitely prepare for the Commonwealth Games in 2006,” and if things
go as planned, they hope to participate in the 2008 Olympics in
Beijing.
Tasha’s picture is
up on the refrigerator in our house right now, a reminder that some of
life’s greatest moments come from planning to accept the unplanned. A
heart that is open to life as it comes is a more certain key for
happiness than anyone has dared to admit in the past thirty years.
Tasha is a witness
to the unexpected path to happiness. She has new plans that seem to
change daily. On her website she tells her fans, “It’s six months
before I give birth and already baby is dictating the pace.”
One suspects that
Tasha will succeed no matter what happens in her life. She has
embraced the magic of unplanned joy.
Visit Tasha at:
http://www.ukathletics.net/vsite/vnavsite/page/directory/0,10853,4854-146487-163703-nav-list,00.html
Copyright © 2004 Jane Jimenez
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for past editorials.
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