What is so wonderful about life is having your own personal independent vision. Case in point: In just two minutes and two seconds an entire world changed for Cherie DeVaux as she became the first female horse trainer to win one of the greatest sports competitions of all time. 152 years in the making, the Kentucky Derby still captures imaginations. But Cherie thought, don’t bet against me! As a premed student in Albany, I am sure that family and friends thought she was crazy to, as they say “walk horses“. But that is what she saw in her vision and for her life. If you watched the Derby this weekend, as we always do, having two grandsons born in Louisville, the pageantry is fantastic, the clothes and hats creative and fun, the exuberance exciting. This year however, I am reminded that having faith in yourself is so critical, not only for success, but outcomes that are beyond imagination.
Making her vision possible was Jockey Jose Ortiz, with his own exceptional plan, winning both the Kentucky Oaks (on Always a Runner) a celebration for breast cancer with the Fillies on Friday, and then again on Sunday, to win the Kentucky Derby on long shot Golden Tempo. His come from behind (flying past 14 others) brave win was a “everyone get out of my way event”. He even passed his brother on Renegade who came in second! It was startling and fun and surprising to witness.
The world converged to allow two people to manifest unheard of dreams and wild expectations. The impossible became possible, and even the doubters had to cheer for their amazing success.
Isn’t it wonderful when a new champion is crowned, whatever the event or sport? It is not someone jaded who has followed that path before. These are people whose lives have changed forever in two minutes. But Cherie and Jose are not alone. We all can manifest our personal successes, even against tough odds. Trust that these feelings are available within all of us. They exist in the scientist, who discovered that they needed to find access inside the tumor cells to kill the cancer with special microbial probes or genetic sequences, as opposed to just cutting or blasting or medicating. If you have not worked in a lab you may not understand that these moments occur everywhere in life and especially in cancer care with the changes that are exponentially coming. The feeling of exuberance also can arrive, my friends within each of you, who have experienced or been touched by an event. It may be when we review a scan and the “Lady Macbeth spot“ is diminishing or gone. People jump and hoot in the exam room. We draw the blood and do the genetic testing to find that the patient is a perfect candidate for a very experimental trials, just like Ben Sasse with his devastating pancreatic cancer, still thriving with new treatments. Again and again life presents us with moments worthy of cheering. These are much more important to our well-being, our immune system, our quality of life for, not just ourselves, but our family, than any cancer or diagnosis is.
You will have many moments like these in your own life. You will not wear the ring of roses, but you will have a halo of hope. Just like the fastest two minutes in horse racing, the feeling may be fleeting, but what will remain in your heart is victory and that is what will carry you to the finish.
Congratulations to a jockey with hope, and trainer Cheri DeVaux. Many were disappointed that she did not complete her career in medicine, but took another path, however she remains a healer. This weekend, she touched millions with her fearlessness, accomplishments, success in the face of obstacles and instead taught us all that the impossible is possible when you have faith. Thanks for the reminder.