A Winning Life! Benefits Everywhere!

Benjamin Silver with his 8th Place Medal

Ben is such an example of the pure Buddhist 

Never Give Up spirit!

Today he placed 8th in Illinois' State Track Meet...after being injured all season and fighting back to run two races to qualify for state...then rocking the competition. 

Ben runs the 3200 meter (2 mile) race. 

He qualified to run in the slower heat (slower race) of the state meet. Here's how it works: he runs as fast as he can...and if his time is faster than the time of anyone in the top nine of the faster heat...then he gets a medal. 

Watching his heat was amazing...we had about 100 of us in the stands screaming "SILVER SILVER SILVER" for him. He could hear us all...we were going crazy! Suddenly he broke away from the pack and came in first with no one even close behind him...you can only imagine how thrilling that was!

Then we had to wait until the next heat...about an hour later...and see if his time beat any of the top nine from that heat. 

It did! 

He came in 8th in the state. 

Wonderful!

This has been a great few months for Ben. He's graduating. He has a girlfriend. He got a scholarship to college. He chants with me as often as he can...and on Wednesday night, in preparation for my moving out, and for him going away to college~ he received his Omomori Gohonzon. It's a smaller version of the Gohonzon I chant to...a portable one...perfect for a dorm room. Aaron, his brother has one too. 

Ben made a powerful cause by accepting the Gohonzon this week!

And he triumphed! 

Go Ben!

Go YOU!!! Achieve YOUR dreams and become incredibly happy! Nam Myoho Renge Kyo!

Ben Silver Rocks!!! We love Coach Kup!!!

Today, my almost 18 year old son, Benjamin Lee Silver came in 10th in the State of Illinois Cross Country meet. As a senior, this means the world to him!

Illinois is the top running state in the nation, and Ben's been injured for much of the season. What did being injured mean for Ben? It meant that every night he'd spend 2 straight hours on the elliptical machine at the gym to keep his heart in running shape for when he could run again. You should have seen him. And he worked so hard to keep his grades up in the 5 AP classes he's taking this year.

And it paid off for my Buddha boy. His goal was top ten and he accomplished it. So exciting. Now he can really focus in on college planning. At the moment he plans on applying to 11 colleges, all over the country. I am chanting for him to be happy...wherever he ends up!

What a day...we are really on a roll these days. I woke up early enough to chant strongly for an hour before we headed off to Peoria "The Promised Land" as those of us in the Downers Grove North running program call it....aaahhhh Detweiler Park, I know you well!

This year was especially important because the entire team qualified to run, and it's coach Kup's last year. He's an amazing man, Kup. He leads the boys with heart and character and love. I told him many moons ago "Kup you can't retire until my boys graduate!" and here we are in Ben's senior year...and Kup's last year before retirement. Goodness knows, though, KUP is not going to retire! I can't wait to see what he does next with his amazing precious life!!!