Yesterday I started writing a post on tributes & heroes inspired by 3 artists whom I greatly admire for their qualities as human beings and as musicians: Roberto Menescal, Nara Leão and Joyce.
But in the last 48 hours, I could not stay indifferent to 3 young women whose names and achievements I had never heard of until now: Majlinda Kelmendi, Rafaela Silva, and Telma Monteiro became inspirational to millions of people around the world with their victories in the RIO 2016 Olympics... including me!
Majlinda Kelmendi, won Kosovo's first ever Olympic medal.
Rafaela Silva, Brazil’s first gold medal of the Olympics in Rio 2016.
Telma Monteiro won Portugal's second ever Olympic medal in judo.
But more than the medals and the practice of judo, what these ladies have in common are noble qualities which have become luxury commodities nowadays: courage, willpower, diligence, faith.
Majlinda comes from Kosovo, the "youngest" country in the world, torn by war not long ago, and by poverty and corruption at present. Rafaela lives in Cidade de Deus, a poor and violent neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro, where drugs and drug trafficking are part of everyday life and death. Telma, Portuguese, 30 years old, has believed in herself for the last 12 years (Athens 2004, Beijing 2008 and London 2012) and continued working hard despite of an injury and an operation barely 5 months ago .
Their victories are the result of how they walked their paths, regardless of their nationality, social background, color or age. They believed in their dream, pursued it courageously, with hard work, integrity, determination. Like real heroes do!
...Oh, no worries! I will definitely come back to Menescal, Nara and Joyce in a few days...♪♫♪)...