Lesson 282: Classic

It was a classic day on Classic Lanes.

Deserving enough of a bonus blog post for the week.

Hubby came in second in the Erie Times News Bowling Tournament.

For those of you following this story for the last five weeks, 

know that this post was well earned.

He got a cool trophy and a thousand bucks!

His fans were there cheering him on.

Only Sam was having some difficulty dealing with the second place finish.

My boy is a competitive little bugger and refused to admit defeat.

(Look at his finger).

His Godmother wiped a tear or two from her eyes.

Louie even got a post tourney interview.

He was all smiles when we returned home,

especially so because he drank my beer.

Right.

In.

Front.

Of.

Me.

Grandma and Kenyan stopped by to continue the celebration.

Look who is still fingering the check.

I can't say enough about the top 16 guys.

Tough competitors.

Class acts.

#10 today was Dave Stile, a high school classmate. 

He was one of the few people to beat my husband in this tournament,

and did so with a 299.  Damn that ten pin!

Going into the position round, only 3 pins separated the top three gentlemen.

 And gentlemen, they are.

This is Lee Eighmy.

This is Mike Shady.

Both men are always at the top of every single tournament.  

Time

after 

time

after 

time.

They are consistently good.

Their mental games are more powerful than their forearms.

 Hubby played the best mental game of all.

He made the comeback of his life.  

Only 26 days ago we drug his body on a blanket out to the Christmas tree to open presents.

Remember these frequent posts?

How about the chiropractic table/laundry table set up in my bedroom?

It was not only the source of a little Lamp Post fun,

but also the key to Louie's healing.

I was asked numerous times today about this man:

This is Dr. Steven Krauza, the Erie Chiropractor who runs my workout group 

and wellness challenges.

Known as Doc to me, 

he is also referred to around these parts as The Doctor with the Bike,

or the Doctor with the Cape.

He had a hand (or two) in Louie's healing.  Doc is quick to refuse credit for the part he played in it all.  Yet, his daily house calls during the coldest and snowiest of days were oh-so important.  But Doc said it best when he humbly stated that he only removed the interference to allow for the innate wisdom of the body to heal itself.  Oh-so true.  Still, we issue a big thank you from the Lamp Post tonight.  Without your hands, Dr. Krauza,  Louie would not have healed so rapidly.  

As a front row observer of the literal fall and rise of my husband over the last six weeks, Eloise can say that BELIEF is what got Louie to second place today.  One December night, while lying side by side on the floor waiting for the back to heal, Louie squeezed my hand and said, "So what do you think about the Times News Tournament?"  

The tournament was set to begin in three weeks, and my husband could not move an inch.  I began to giggle, partly due to caginess from sleep deprivation.  "Well......" I began.

Louie interjected before I could say anything more.  "I can bowl in it.  I know I can."

Eloise let out a long sigh, rubbed his head, and fluffed his pillow.  "Get some sleep, please.  You're exhausted," said I, the good wife.

"I can do it.  I know it.  I am going to heal, and make the cut!" he said.

I knew that night, in the middle of December, despite of having bowled only nine times all fall, that Louie would make that cut.  He believed he could, and he did.

As inspiring as this story may seem, it is not isolated.  Transfer that same story of belief to your own lives.  What is it that you want that seems so impossible?  A new job?  To run a half marathon?  Maybe a full one?  Save $1,000?  Maybe $5,000?   Mend a broken relationship?  Make the comeback of your life? 

Eloise gets an extra shot this week to tell you that you can do anything.  Get your body aligned, your mind right, and your spirit strong. You will be unstoppable.

We are all so proud of you Louie!  You set a fine example for all of us.  A special thank you to all of the fans who sent such kind words of encouragement.  

Now, off to Sam's room to explain for the hundredth time that today was story of triumph, not defeat.  Second place is not losing.  And Mike Shady is not a cheater.  

I think I got my work cut out for me.

For some lighthearted bowling enjoyment, click on the clip from Kingpin, a 1996 sports comedy about bowling, starring Woody Harrelson, Randy Quaid, and Bill Murray.  It was filmed in Pittsburgh!  

Eloise