Keep Believing in Yourself

I was halfway asleep when hubby made the suggestion…

“Pick a horse.”

“Hmm?”

“Just for fun.”

Mr. Simms had the TV paused on the Kentucky derby. My man loves anything sports. And I’m not just talking about the NFL or NBA. My guy binges everything from track meets to hockey battles and ping pong tournaments. 

So, I shouldn’t have been surprised he wanted to watch the Kentucky Derby. Especially since, he and his late dad used to enjoy it so much together. 

Laying down on the couch, I glanced at the TV, chose the first name that caught my eye. 

“Golden Tempo.”

He laughed. 

“Babe, that horse is 23-1. You’re supposed to pick a horse you think can win.”

I shrugged. 

“It’s the one that popped out at me.”

Chuckling, he chose Renegade. Then, unpaused the screen. And I took that chance to catch a couple of z’s. 

Moments later, Mr. Simms shook me awake. 

“Babe, it’s startin’.”

Groggily, I watched the horses take off.

No surprises, the favorites bolted out the gate to the front.  And where was Golden Tempo? Dead last. 

In fact, Fam, this horse was so dead last, you couldn’t even see him in the wide shot on the TV screen. 

I closed my eyes again. No way was the race worth missing a good nap. 

“Oh, wow!”

My husband’s dramatic, Fam. I started to ignore him. Then, I peeked and saw the impossible happening.

Golden Tempo was surging from behind, smoking horses – one by one – that had better odds than him!

I sat up, all in. 

Golden Tempo kept coming. 

Bolting to the outside…

Down the backstretch…

The finish line seconds away…

Golden Tempo charged past the last horse in between him and victory and won by a nose!

Fam, I  cheered so hard. I couldn’t believe his comeback!

Golden Tempo was dead last. His odds were in the toilet. But instead of giving up, he dug deep and rallied to win.

“How’d you know?”

Mr. Simms asked, looking at me like I was Nostradamus.

“I didn’t. It was the name. It stuck out to me.”

“Yeah, but then you saw the odds and still didn’t change your mind. You gotta write about this, Babe. I think it’s a sign.”

I laughed. Remember I said my man was dramatic? But then, I thought about it — There is a lesson here. 

For those of us who have been counted out. 

Who feel like we’re dead last.

Or that it’s too late. 

Keep going. 

Keep surging.

Keep believing in yourself despite the odds. 

Cherie Devaux, the first female trainer to win in Kentucky Derby history, did. 

So did her jockey, Jose Ortiz, as he bolted past his own brother riding Renegade to clinch the win. 

And to wrap up this story, I guess you can toss me in there, too.

Hubby’s right. I saw Golden Tempo’s odds and didn’t change my mind. 

Just like the cards have always been stacked against me in this Hollywood game, but I keep surging on. 

It’s not courageous, Fam. I’m just too stubborn to quit.

And I believe – without you even telling me – you’re too stubborn to quit, too.