Gail Snow Moraski gave me an 8 x 10 photo of Rocky. He had just raced up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, his arms raised in triumph. I cherished it so much, I taped it to the back of my bedroom door. I looked at it each morning before I started my day. It became a focal point for me during cancer treatment. Rocky made it up those steps…I can make it too.
Cheryl Ragsdale remembers her visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. “I was in Philadelphia on assignment with a major hospital. Naomi Nagaki and I visited the museum after work. We stopped before climbing the steps as we realized where we were. One of us started doing the theme from Rocky. Spontaneously, and still in our conservative work clothes and heels, we charged up the steps! Reaching the top, each of us trying to get there first, we turned and faced the city, raising our arms and jumping up and down triumphantly. It was a priceless moment. I’ll always treasure that memory.”
We’ve included a clip from Rocky 6 (scroll down to Favorite Videos, 2 minutes of Rocky talking to his son). There are times when we need to be reminded of who we are. There are times when people help set us straight.
Rocky: “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows…life will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much can you take and keep moving forward? That’s how winning is done!”
Thank you, Sly Stallone, for creating an American touchstone. What’s stopping you from moving forward?
We love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts in the comments section. Grab hold and celebrate life today! Make a move!
Trece McLaughlin
email me – I promise to respond flipkicklisten@gmail.com
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This movie was such a pivotal movie to me growing up. It nurtured and encouraged me. Sweet Adrian in the pet store and Rocky at the meat packing place.
I walked away empowered, and I play the Rocky music in my head when I need my life batteries recharged.
It goes to show what hard work and determination can accomplish.
Remember: “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.” So, don’t give up, make a move.
Trece, keep up the good work! Hey, Trece, remember my favorite song, “Anna na seal”
Trece and Cheryl:
Are you sure you are not omni-present? You have been where we are. You have the same hopes and memories. You are old souls. You seem to know just what your readers need and/or are up to. This movie touched me to the core. It was pouring rain, I was at the Cape with my then nine-year-old son and we were snuggling on the couch, just hanging out. We saw that there was a Rocky Marathon running on DTV and tuned in. Thank you for re-presencing me to that day, and to literally getting me to tune into the present. For me Rocky was a real man: gentle, loving, caring, compassionate and a teacher of life. He was a loving husband and father, loyal to his friends and neighbors. Boxing was his profession, it was not who he was. Each of his movies left us better, his messages were valuable. This movie was particularly poignant for me as I watched my son’s reaction to Rocky’s conversation with his son. Martin said hours later “Mommy even though Rocky was yelling he was not angry, he was sad”. When I asked him what he thought of that he said “he loves his son so much he does not want him to sell himself short (or something to that affect). How wise my son was at nine, he is even wiser now. I acknowledge you for paying it forward by giving us the gift of our childhoods/days/weeks/months/years gone by. It is very present for me today. I did another thing I would never in a million years do. I joined Facebook to connect with the outside world and actually chatted with two strangers…..we are no longer strangers! I look forward to your next post. You rock…..I am inviting everyone in my email list and Facebook friends to join flipkicklisten. We could change the world by paying it forward. As I sat with my nine-year-old son that day, the tears streamed down my face….I too have that same love for my son. Your posts re-presence me to the love I forgot I had for myself. In life, many of us are great at supporting others, while being unforgiving, inflexible or harsh with ourselves. What today’s post means to me? ….it is important to have that conversation with ourselves. We must be firm and gentle. We must re-start our personal clock several times a day to succeed in our quest for peace, love and harmony.
I acknowledge you for the path you are taking for your own well-being and thank you for taking us on your journey. I added to my page, “Hey, have you joined flipkicklisten – it is uplifting and inspiring! To quote Obama, ” YES WE CAN”. Let’s all pay it forward.
So, of course, I had to comment. It was wonderful to see that I somehow gave courage/encouragement to an already-very-courageous woman. Just a reminder that something small you do can have a large impact. As I just posted on Twitter, you are truly my hero, Trece. You are a real-life Rocky, and then some! Both you and FlipKickListen are awesome. It’s so great that you took a really, really tough experience and turned it into something to help others.
Our families have always been fans of the Rocky movies, but it was after we learned that our 2-month old son needed extensive surgery on his skull that our appreciate was taken to another level. Our son’s middle name is Rocco, after my dad and grandpa, so naturally he gained the nickname Rocky by some. After we found out that he needed the surgery, we played the Rocky CD to give us the push that we needed to get through it all. Once his surgery (successful!) was over and all of the follow-up doctors’ appointments ensued, we began a tradition of playing ‘Eye of the Tiger’ to celebrate each weekly success. It didn’t take long for us to realize that when our little man was upset that ‘Eye of the Tiger’ was the only music that would settle him down. To this day (3-1/2 years later) he still unwinds to the Rocky CD every night before bed.
They really are wonderful, well-crafted and inspirational movies…