"The Game Winner"


By Quentin D. Rose



As he glides along, he can feel the smoothness beneath his feet. He can feel the coldness surrounding him as he moves from one part of the ice to the other. As he moves, he dreams the dream of every athlete in his sport. A sport looked at by many as a sport of violence and destruction. A sport marred by scars and cuts. He realizes that the sport that has given him so much happiness, is about to be taken from him. He is not good enough to be considered a professional. He plays because he loves the sport. He loves the game. He loves how it makes him feel.


It's game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals. It is into overtime and he can feel the adrenaline building in his body as he skates onto the ice. Several shifts have passed and still they have not managed to put in the winning goal. He glides on, realizing that time may be running out. As he skates, he gives it all he's got and catches a pass on his stick from the defenseman.


He is alone, skating toward the goalie. He can feel the smoothness of the ice under his skates, he hears nothing but the sound of the puck sliding along the ice and the sound of his own breath. He looks up to see a small opening between the goalie and the net. He prepares to shoot, holding his breath. He has the chance they have all been waiting for. As he shoots, everything seems to go in slow motion. It takes an eternity for the puck to reach the goalie. As he watches, the puck finds its way into the goal. Yes, he has scored the game winning goal and won the Stanley Cup for his team.


As he glides along the ice, he awakens. Just like anyone who has played a sport, his dream has come to an end. He will never score the game winner in front of 18,000 screaming fans in a game seven. The sport he truly loved has been taken from him by Multiple Sclerosis. MS has taken away the one sport that truly has given him something that he thought would never be replaced.


As he skates, he is alone on the ice. Shooting, skating and just appreciating the fact that he is there. MS has taken his balance and the strength he needs to continue the sport he loves. It's almost game time in his league. He begins to get excited but also is saddened because this is the last game he will play. As the puck drops to the ice, he glides toward the goal. He shoots and he scores.


Oh yes, we all can dream and for all of us, dreams keep us alive inside. Dreams keep us driving for the ultimate goal, happiness. MS or not, he has won the Stanley Cup because you see, he has not just scored the game winning goal in a hockey game but he scored the game winning goal against MS. He is a survivor, no matter how you look at it. A survivor of a disease that takes so much from so many people. He is the MVP. He has beaten the one opponent that you never see on the ice. No matter how you look at it, he still dreams of the game winner against life and he will get it with the same determination it took to win the Stanley Cup in his dreams.

 
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