Don’t Quit Before the Miracle. – Theoren Fleury

Image via WikipediaGive me physical pain, lots and lots of physical pain but not emotional pain. It is the worst.... Emotional pain makes us do some insane things. - Theoren Fleury

Today I attended a lecture at the University of Manitoba given by NHL superstar Theoren Fleury, or as most know him – Theo.

I have not yet read Theo’s book Playing With Fire. The courage to do so has not found me. My brother attended the same hockey camps as he did, and it was at those camps where Fleury met Graham James.

Theo did not go into a lot of details about the abuse inflicted up on him by James. It wasn’t necessary that he did. He wrote Playing With Fire as part of his healing journey but also with the hope that if one child could be helped then it was going to be worth it.

Instead he focused his talk on the journey that led him to today. He did describe what it was like not to be able to sleep for 25 years and that alcohol was the best medicine at the time to make those feelings go away.

Eventually, the hard living and running caught up and after having a wonderful conversation with a few cactus in my backyard I decided I didn’t want to be here anymore. He went out, bought a gun and some ammunition. He still remembers what the gun tasted like and how it felt in his mouth.

His battle with substances did not end that day but, eventually he surrendered, looked himself in the eye and began to deal with things.

Theo Fleury narrates with raw honesty, wit, grace, and in a way that is refreshingly relatable; reminding his audience that drugs and alcohol will take you to three places: jail, a treatment centre, or a coffin and that you only as sick as your secrets.

Throughout his talk he kept saying, he shouldn’t be here. Well he is and that is the miracle, he walked through the dark side and came out to say it wasn’t such a great place. But, during that time when he was swallowing all that emotional pain Theoren was one of the smallest NHL players who accumulated over a 1,000 points winning the Stanley Cup and Olympic Gold for Canada. He was and still is inspiring young people across the country who love the game of hockey to pursue their passion.

An ardent believer in the 10,000 hour philosophy, Fleury repeatedly told the crowd, if you want to be a professional at anything you have to put in 10,000 hours, practise, practise, practise. I did and it meant I never had to think... I just had to react and it was fun. The rink was my happy place. The moment I stepped on the ice, I fell in love and I told everyone that I was going to play in the NHL.

Since sobering up and facing his secret Theo describes his life like playing a country music record backwards, I got it all back.... the wife, the kids, the truck, the dog. Everyone has a miracle inside of them, don’t quit before the miracle.

Now that is a lot to ThInQ about. Here is a little George Jones as posted on YouTube: Choices.