I got a call from my friend Michael earlier in the week and he asked me if I wanted to interview Gabby Douglas… You know, America’s newest sweetheart, two time Olympic gold champion and FOO- FRIEND OF OPRAH!!!! After composing myself and letting him know that yeah, I could squeeze her into my schedule, I made my way to Citi Field where she would be speaking to about 150 kids from the YMCA for the last session of Citi Field Kids. The program is actually pretty cool as it teaches children how to use the fundamentals and ideals of the late, great Jackie Robinson and apply them to their own lives.

I have to be honest, I was practically moved to tears while listening to Gabby give advice to these kids who were really not much younger than she is!  She is incredibly wise beyond her years and even quoted scripture while talking to them since she draws inspiration from the word. She quoted 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power and love and discipline”.

Something else she said really stuck with me and I’ve held onto it all week: “Sacrifices aren’t in vain, push through difficulties in order to achieve your dreams.” I mean, who hasn’t felt at one point of their life or another that something is too hard and you just feel like giving up?! Gabby said there were several times where she wanted to quit because she was homesick, but she pushed through those times and look what happened!  What an incredibly gifted, talented and BEAUTIFUL human being…. Gabby deserves all of the goodness that is coming her way and I can truly count myself as one of her fans!