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The Difference
Nov. 3rd, 2005 07:12 amJoe and I were talking about the difference between men and women last night (always dangerous when making generalizations that big). Somehow, my thoughts turned to Lance Armstrong.
This would have more impact if you are a cycling fan, but I was thinking about a particular moment back in the 2003 Tour de France. Lance was climbing a really steep mountain and all the top guys were right at the front with him. Suddenly, his handlebars caught on a bag being held by a spectator and he was on the ground in an instant. Everyone else kept going. although they did slow the pace down. Lance got up and back on his bike. He then slipped trying to get in his pedals and banged himself on the top bar of his bike but kept going. Before he had looked tired, but now he just looked angry. This had been a Tour of stupid things happening at critical points. He caught up to his competition, who looked surprised to see him, and then he kept right on going. He was climbing up a very steep mountain after days of riding, but fueled by adrenalin he somehow found the strength to leave everyone else in the dust. It was amazing to watch. I read yesterday in a bike magazine that when he walked in the trailer at the end of that ride, he yelled, in a triumphant way, to his team director "How do you like me now? How do you fucking like me now?"
When I gave birth to Ellie, that is exactly how I felt. Instead of being emotional and crying, I felt like I had just rocked the entire world. I was exhausted but I was on the greatest high of my life. It was hours before I could sleep. When I got to hold Ellie again after they had checked her out, all I could think as I looked at her was "We did it, baby! You and I rocked that whole L&D thing!" My feelings surprised me because they didn't seem very "maternal." I've spent some time trying to figure out why I felt so *great* that day and why I didn't cry when she was born. Then, reading about Lance's reaction to his fall that day, I realized that his reaction and mine were pretty similar, although I also got a baby out of it and he just got more fame and a trophy.
And that was my point to Joe last night. i got the most amazing experience ever and I didn't have to be a top world class athlete and travel to France to get it. And I got my sweet baby Ellie and, in my very-biased-but-I-don't-care opinion, she is the greatest thing ever.
This would have more impact if you are a cycling fan, but I was thinking about a particular moment back in the 2003 Tour de France. Lance was climbing a really steep mountain and all the top guys were right at the front with him. Suddenly, his handlebars caught on a bag being held by a spectator and he was on the ground in an instant. Everyone else kept going. although they did slow the pace down. Lance got up and back on his bike. He then slipped trying to get in his pedals and banged himself on the top bar of his bike but kept going. Before he had looked tired, but now he just looked angry. This had been a Tour of stupid things happening at critical points. He caught up to his competition, who looked surprised to see him, and then he kept right on going. He was climbing up a very steep mountain after days of riding, but fueled by adrenalin he somehow found the strength to leave everyone else in the dust. It was amazing to watch. I read yesterday in a bike magazine that when he walked in the trailer at the end of that ride, he yelled, in a triumphant way, to his team director "How do you like me now? How do you fucking like me now?"
When I gave birth to Ellie, that is exactly how I felt. Instead of being emotional and crying, I felt like I had just rocked the entire world. I was exhausted but I was on the greatest high of my life. It was hours before I could sleep. When I got to hold Ellie again after they had checked her out, all I could think as I looked at her was "We did it, baby! You and I rocked that whole L&D thing!" My feelings surprised me because they didn't seem very "maternal." I've spent some time trying to figure out why I felt so *great* that day and why I didn't cry when she was born. Then, reading about Lance's reaction to his fall that day, I realized that his reaction and mine were pretty similar, although I also got a baby out of it and he just got more fame and a trophy.
And that was my point to Joe last night. i got the most amazing experience ever and I didn't have to be a top world class athlete and travel to France to get it. And I got my sweet baby Ellie and, in my very-biased-but-I-don't-care opinion, she is the greatest thing ever.