It’s part of human nature to be selfish. Perhaps we have Adam and Eve to “blame” for original sin.
“Surely you will not die,” he said. “Your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
And so the story goes, they ate the forbidden fruit anyway.
Sometimes our selfish nature is needed for protecting our loved ones, or for sacrificing time and money to push a career forward or take a chance on a lifelong dream.
Sports are typically a selfish thing. We participate because we love the sport and we love to win. Individual sports are probably even worse.
Powerlifting – BE THE STRONGEST
Bodybuilding – BE THE BIGGEST
You’re standing on stage. The spotlight is on you. All eyes and judges are on you.
But this past weekend marks the second time that I’ve participated in a Relentless powerlifting meet. And while the meet is a fully sanctioned meet, with judges and rules and records to be broken, it’s about so much more.
After cutting weight, complaining about being hungry and hot and tired and thirsty, after enduring long training days and 12 hour meet days… it seems so much about our hardships and our struggles.
And yet when your knees are wrapped so tight that you can’t feel your legs and your shoulders ache from the weight on the bar and your back feels like it’s going to break if you lean over…. yet all the aches and pains in the world disappear for a split second when you see those kids at the edge of the stage, reaching up to give you a high five… you see smiles and cheers and more hands reaching.
After the meet, I received an award that had pictured all the families that we raised money for. My children asked who they were and I told them. This morning, my daughter comes to me quietly and whispers.
“Hey Mom.”
“Yes, dear.”
“I want to sell candy, to give money to the sick kids”
“Which sick kids, babe.”
“The ones on the picture.”
“You know what? That’s a fantastic idea. I bet we can come up with all kinds of things for you to raise money for them.”
Self-less. To do something for someone else, especially those in need, can be the greatest feeling in the world. The second greatest feeling… knowing that your kids are following your example.
Go. Be selfless.
