Why I Would Like to Meet Laura Robinson

By Marija Byrne

 

I have been asked to share why I would like to meet Laura Robinson.  The simple answer to that question is that I am inspired by all that she has accomplished as both a female athlete and a feminist writer.  I am able to relate to not only her love of sport, but also her quest for social justice.

 

Laura Robinson is a remarkable example of the level of success that can be attained when a person’s life passions are cultivated, demonstrating how fulfilling life can be when you are passionate about what you are doing.  But perhaps, more important than her success, is that she is doing what she is passionate about and putting forth the effort to be the best she can be...

 

The lesson that I personally take from Robinson’s example is that any of the things that are important to me in my life do not have to detract from the other important things, but rather that they can enrich, drive and develop the others. As a female athlete, I can relate to the challenges that female athletes face, and that Robinson herself, has faced.  

 

I can also appreciate that Laura Robinson is drawing attention to these challenges in the hopes of eliminating them.  I hope you all will be as inspired by Laura Robinson’s story as I have been and can apply this inspiration to cultivate your own passions in life, as I intend to do in mine. 

 

This is why I would like to meet this year’s Distinguished Visitor in Women’s Studies, Laura Robinson.

 

*****

 

Marjia gave this talk at the Distinguished Visitor  2011 Sneak Preview event on August 30.  Marija was chosen because she embodies Laura Robinson’s message of sport for the joy of it.  She is a self-trained, long-distance runner who qualified for and finished the Boston Marathon in 2010. 

 

To read Marija’s full talk, go to:  www.uwindsor.ca/womensstudies/sneak-preview-2011