The Lying Flying Scotsman

     I have always admired Lance Armstrong.  I don't know much about his personal life, but I do know he works hard and put cycling on the map in America.  One of my favorite Superbowl commercials starred Mr. Tour de France himself.  Lance sat behind a fancy desk and a big fat guy came in wearing spandex.  Lance said, "it isn't the spandex, it's what you do in it."  I have no idea what the product was or the point of the commercial.  I just remember laughing really hard.
     I am also a fan of Billy Boyd and Jonny Lee Miller.  When I saw a movie on Netflix about cycling with both of them in it, I immediately watched it.  It is about a cyclist and his journey to the top in the mid nineties.  He engineered a bicycle out of BMX bikes and washing machine parts.  He broke the world record on that piecemeal bike, going against a guy who had his bike designed by a computer and cost $500,000.00.
     What made me fall in love with the story was that he suffered from depression and bipolar disorder.  He tried to commit suicide twice, thankfully he failed.  His wife stood by him through all of it and he brought her up on the medal platform after his World Championship win.  They were a team.  She and a friend helped him get real help for his medical troubles.  He couldn't have succeeded without her.
     I wanted to find out more specifics about The Flying Scotsman, Graeme Obree, like when the movie was made, when he won his championships, and a little more about his custom homemade bikes.  What I found out was that he announced he was gay last year and then divorced his wife.  I was crushed.  He said that lying about and hiding who he was contributed to his mental health problems.  I wanted to wring his neck myself.  You are not bipolar because you are hiding who your really are from the world.  You are bipolar because you are sick.  If someone has type 1 diabetes they do not blame it on their sexual orientation.  Who cares who you sleep with.  It is private and should be kept private.  Heterosexuals do not blame their troubles on not telling the world who they share a bed with.  The world wants us to think that being careful with private things is denying who we really are; that if we do not tell the world who gets our blood boiling then we should be ashamed of ourselves.  We should proclaim our orientation at the top of our voices, otherwise we are hiding and cannot be true to our real selves.  How stupid. 
     Mr. Obree fought the WCF tooth and nail to be in compliance with the rules that they kept changing because they didn't want him to win; it would harm the financial relationship with the bike manufacturing companies.  They made it so difficult for him and he triumphed--even with his health issues.  The man and movie really inspired me. 
     Then he had to ruin it for me.  He went through all of the outward and inner struggles to reach his goals and then decides to turn his back on the very thing that helped him the most:  His family and his previous choice to live a moral life.  I understand that the issue of homosexuality is complex, but it still doesn't change the fact that the act itself is a sin.  He cut God out of his life after all He did to help him succeed and become an example, a poster child if you will.  It is King David all over again.  I can't even think about it without tearing up.  His poor wife.  She was there for him all the way, every minute.  And then he turns his back on that deep level of commitment and loving support?  Uggg!
     That is why I do not read tabloids or pay attention to the star news.  I just do not want to know.  It breaks my heart that people with amazing talents blow it over stupid stuff.  I used to love Rosie O'Donnell until her personal life became the only thing she talked about.  It ruined the ride.  If you can block out the fact that the moral of the movie was negated five years later, then enjoy the ride The Flying Scotsman. 
     I have learned a valuable lesson:  Stick to Nephi as my favorite inspirational hero.  He is already dead and can't disappoint me with his future behavior.  He overcame all odds to become a "noble and great one," and didn't falter at the finish line.  He didn't suffer from bipolar disorder, but his brothers did try to kill him.  I guess I don't have it so bad.  So, unlike Graeme Obree, I will overcome my personal issues and stay strong in the truth.  I will not disappoint God at the last minute.  (Well, that's my plan, anyway.)