There’s something about the Olympics that just sucks us in. Ok, summer more than winter — and maybe not all of us — but there’s something about the competition, fanfare, backstories, and patriotism that totally captures our attention. Granted, I could use a little more sleep this week and last, but for the most part, this semi-competitive current events observer is loving these games. I did, however, recently find myself reverting back to a less mature pattern. Allow me to humbly explain…
Years ago, I was challenged by Dr. Tim Kimmel’s book, Raising Kids for True Greatness. I found it revolutionary. I recommend it genuinely and generously.
The book challenges us to cede our individual pursuits of success. We each want the best for ourselves and our children; there’s nothing wrong with that. But what if there was something more? What if there was something better? Could our definition of success be omitting the most important part?
Kimmel asks about greatness. Where does it fit in? “If you aim your children at anything less than greatness,” says the author, ”you’ll set them up to miss the whole point of their lives.”
Greatness isn’t defined in terms of wealth, prosperity, or even an SAT score. Greatness is a measure of character — a purposeful maximizing of our potential — where the commitment to virtue is never in question. I think first of the quiet uniqueness of Mother Teresa, who undoubtedly discerned the value of true greatness. When greatness is prioritized, we recognize that our worth comes from something far more than materialistic success. The opportunities are thus endless.
When this pursuit of greatness then replaces our societally-encouraged success barometers, we are freed to root for those other than our own. We no longer envision the success of another as something less for “me.” There is no “you vs. me” or “us against them,” as there exists none of this pitting against other people. We each are blessed and gifted in different ways.
So during the Olympic hockey game, when the Americans faced the Russians 24 years after the original “Miracle on Ice,” I cheered with my young son nearby. We grinned and grimaced through each shot of the shootout. And when the United States finally won the non-medal-meriting, intense arctic match, I almost jumped off my couch… yes!
But I realized that I was again seduced into cheering solely for my team — and thinking lesser of the other team. Yes, of course we have favorites, but I think we also root against certain others and demonize them to some degree primarily because they are our opponent; they stand in our way. We see this in sports, politics, life in general. And so we often make the other out to be bad or something lesser somehow, when in reality, they, too, are attempting to maximize their potential and embrace their gifts.
As the pomp and circumstance concluded the weekend hockey competition, I decided to take the opportunity to teach my youngest a few added nuggets of wisdom, so I thought. Thinking of the days of both “Rocky” and Reagan, I said, “You know, Josh, years ago, Russia was considered a ‘bad guy.‘ Lots of people thought they wanted to blow us up.”
Josh in his greater wisdom, deliberately paused and then meekly shared, “Mom, I don’t need to know all things. Seriously.”
He’s right. While we can be proud of our team and celebrate their on field/ice success, we have to remember that there exists something greater. There’s no need to demonize our opponents. They, too, are working to purposefully maximize their potential. And they have been blessed differently than you and me.
Respectfully,
AR