Just as we were in the final stages of getting this first issue of Natural Champion ready for ‘publication’ tragedy struck. Her name was Katrina, but she was no lady.
Hurricane Katrina left a horrifically wide trail of death and destruction that altered lives and landscapes and, at least for those of us who were involved either directly or indirectly, put a whole different perspective on priorities.
I have lived both in southern Louisiana and on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and have many friends throughout the region, including the subject of our very first "Introducing..." column, Charles Hawkins, who lived in Waveland, Mississippi, a picturesque little town directly in the eye of the Hurricane. Like so many others, I was deeply concerned for the lives and welfare of family and friends, but with communications down and roads impassable, all I and others could do was wait.
Finally, news began to trickle in. The lovely and historic areas from New Orleans all the way to Biloxi, Mississippi and beyond to Mobile, Alabama were hit with terrible force and fury. People as yet uncounted did not survive, the beachfront was decimated, houses swept away, streets flooded, the basic necessities of life virtually non-existent.
Eventually, I got a call from Charles. His home and everything in it was gone, but his family was safe, he said. And then he said “I’m starting with a clean slate now. God has a plan for me and He has closed old doors so that new doors can be opened. I know God’s plan is for the best and I’m excited to see what’s in store for me now.”
The thing that struck me was not only his words, but the tone of his voice. There was no trace of bitterness or anger at the tragedy that had befallen him, no mourning lost worldly possessions. Instead, his voice resonated with thanksgiving that his family had been spared, and when he spoke of moving on to the next chapter of his life it was with a confidence and trust born of faith. And it is that attitude of faith and strength and courage that at one and the same time transcends and yet is inextricably bound to the gym and the many and varied arenas of athletic competition…and is, to my mind, the true essence of the Natural Champion.
