Wednesday Shout-Out: Team Jordan

JordanRomero.com


I've long been a fan of Jordan Romero and the adults who accompany him, Paul and Karen. Jordan's a teen who knows what he wants and is willing to work extremely hard to get it. Paul, Jordan's father, and Karen, Paul's partner, are the amazing adults who have guided Jordan through his Seven Summits quest and have braved the inevitable flak that (some of) the media and general public have thrown their way.

When a child wants to do something extraordinary, the adults around him or her rarely jump on board. Kids hear "can't" and "shouldn't" and "when you're older" all the time; it's been refreshing to follow the story of a family that, instead, essentially said "you can," "you should if you want to," and "there's no reason to wait." Paul and Karen, and Jordan's mother, Leigh Ann Drake, have given and continue to give Jordan the gift of "yes." They've instilled an important value into this incredible young man -- that anything is possible with enough preparation and a lot of hard work.

Jordan's now gearing up to summit Antarctica's highest mountain, Mt. Vinson (16, 050 feet). He hopes to reach the top on December 12. If he's successful, he will have accomplished the goal he set for himself when he was nine years old -- to climb the highest mountain on every continent.

We wish you well, Jordan. In case you happen to read this, Alex and Sage both have something to say to you.

Alex: "Congratulations! It's really amazing that you're climbing your last mountain in Antarctica!"

Sage: "Happy Seventh! Congratulations!"

I'll close with my favorite Chinese Proverb:

"Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those doing it."