Having a Handicap.
I sit writing this, I reflect on a question that I was asked this very day regarding coping with what he described as 'a handicap'. Here is how I truthfully answered the enquirer. "Many decades ago when I was a child at primary school, I would rather read than participate in sporting activities. However at the school's annual sports carnival, running races were mandatory for all students. My teacher, a Miss Pierre, realised that I would be unlikely to run competitively against my classmates who spent every opportunity at recess and lunchtime to run and play in the school playgrounds while I sat and read books. So Miss Pierre took me to one side and said, 'Lionel, today for your race I am giving you a handicap.''What's that?', I asked.'It's a head start! When I start the race I will tell you to go first and then I will blow the whistle for the rest of the class to start running.'Well, I still came in last in the race, but I have always remembered that to have a handicap is to have a head start."
-- Lionel Hartley (Reprinted from an editorial written 3rd July 2005)
Happy reading. A number of people have asked if they can use quotes from my Blog in church bulletins or newsletters. Permission is granted provided credit is given to: Dr Lionel Hartley, www.hartleyonline.blogspot.com
Profile
- Lionel Hartley
- Born in New Zealand of English parentage, Lionel D C Hartley worked as an office and theatre manager and commercial artist while gaining qualifications in Business Administration and an honorary diploma in Dramatic Art. In the 1970s, he graduated as a Registered Nurse with subsequent postgraduate qualifications in Psychiatric and Psychopaedic Nursing, Nursing Nutrition and Administration, Sex Therapy and Family Life Counselling. In 1980, he graduated from a Melbourne Theological Seminary with a Diploma of Religion and in 1989 received a PhD in Sociology. He also has qualifications in graphic design, computer programming, business law, accountancy and economics. He is perhaps best known as the author, co-author, editor, and/or illustrator of over 100 books and hundreds of periodical articles, pamphlets and multimedia publications. He retired after 30 years as a family life counsellor. Lionel is still very involved in campanology, writing, manuscript translating (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Hebrew, Latin, and Portuguese), and public speaking. He is married to Rosemary (nee Wells) and they have three grown children. -- Adapted from a profile written by Theo B Hawkins.