In Sports as in Life

I don't know many women who are as into sports movies as I am. Rudy, Rocky, Invicible, Pride, and Cinderella Man are a few of what I consider to be classics. These movies, while providing intense and compelling sports sequences, aren't actually about the sports themselves but about those who play them, those who put absolutely everything on the line to follow their dreams. To make a difference.

In what has become my favorite such movie (yes, Invictus) there is a wonderful scene where Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) invites Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) to tea. After sitting down, Mandela asks after Pienaar's ankle, which he had heard was injured. Pienaar states that in truth one never plays rugby at one hundred percent, at which point Mandela states 'Ah, in sports as in life'.

This statement has stayed with me. As you can tell by one of my previous posts I feel that it is an absolutely wonderful movie about incredible men in an absolutely pivotal time doing the impossible. And succeeding. What really hits me, though, is not necessarily the grand gestures, the great victories. It's the little things. How Nelson Mandela took great strides to truly know the people around him, appreciating their efforts and showing compassion and gratitude. How Francois Pienaar believed in Mandela, in himself and in his team and became such a huge part in unifying their nation. And small statements such as this one. It's true.

There will never be a time where everything will be perfect. Where there aren't multiple lessons to be learned and challenges to overcome. They may come in the form of work, of home, of personal life, of social life. They may present physically, mentally, spiritually, usually all three. There will never come a prolonged time of easy sailing. Frankly I think that if there is, you aren't trying hard enough. There is so much to do, to learn, to teach, to give, to serve. There are so many things that happen every day that we can either take in stride or let overwhelm us. I have been on both sides of the coin and honestly, I prefer to sleep at night. To not experience panic at the list of tasks ahead of me. Panic, stress and fear will get me nothing and nowhere. That is a lesson I began learning at RE/MAX and continue to hone and refine to this day. Am I perfect? Of course not, but why should I let that discourage me?

Life may not hit when I'm at one hundred percent, but I'm certainly going to give it my all!