In 1924 Bill Havens was selected to represent2 the United States that year in the Olympic Summer Games3 in Paris, France. He was going to take part in a canoeing event4, and Havens was good; in fact, everyone expected him to bring home the gold medal.

A Decision to Make
　　However, a few months before the Olympics, Havens learned that his wife was going to give birth sometime during the Games. He had a decision to make: to catch hold of the chance of a lifetime or to give up the chance of a lifetime. It is in a moment that the serious decisions are made. He had not much time to decide. He made his decision. He stayed home with his wife. The team left for Paris without him. On August 1, 1924, his son Frank was born—four days after the Games.

A Telegram
　　Many years went by, during which Bill Havens probably heard the results from every Olympic canoeing event and wondered if he'd made the right decision. But 1952 came, the year the Summer Olympics were in Helsinki5. Havens received a telegram from Helsinki that he surely wouldn't have exchanged for any amount of gold. The telegram read:
Thanks
　　Dear Dad．．．Thanks for waiting around for me to get born in 1924． I＇m coming home with the gold medal you should have won.
　　It was signed, “Your loving son, Frank.” Frank Havens had just won the gold medal in the ten-thousand-meter canoeing event.

The Right Thing to Do
　　Bill Havens had not much time to decide, but he made the right decision. He gave priority to which was the most important thing. Perhaps others would tell him he was wrong, but 28 years later no one would be able to give him the joy he received by knowing he did the right thing.
　　You also have something to decide sometimes. Something that will make all the difference in the future. It is a moment the most serious of all decisions is made, do you have your priority?

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1． priority   n． 优先权
2． represent   v． 代表
3． the Olympic Summer Games 夏季奥运会
4． canoeing event   划艇赛事／项目
5． Helsinki   （地名）赫尔辛基