TO SPUR ON

Follow me a moment as the Intramuralist strays a tad off course today.  The passion remains... the wit and truth, hopefully, too... just a bit more personal...

It seems as if we look at others in one of two ways:  (1) what they are capable of doing, or (2) what they are not.  We employ this tactic often, and it appears we employ it with a confidence that is questionable... perhaps sometimes inappropriate.

For example, each fall the pre-season football rankings are announced by the Associated Press, predicting the seasonal success of all 119 NCAA Division I teams; such analysis is based upon what others believe the totality of the team’s players can or cannot do.  In 2008, the University of Georgia Bulldogs were presumptuously “crowned” at the top of the polls.  However, under the humble leadership of quarterback Tim Tebow, it was the Florida Gators who finished #1.

Politically, we also pre-judge the success - or lack of it - of our elected officials.  We base this, too, upon what we have established the person’s capability to be.  We often do not believe polarized politicians are capable of making the best decision; granted, sadly, too many politicians have given us both pause and cause to expect our representatives to simply vote along party lines.

But indulge me in my no doubt favorite example...  

Today my youngest son “graduates” from his first school.  He has attended the early childhood center for 5 years, having the privilege of learning under some extremely, highly skilled educators since the age of 2.  He has grown.  He has blossomed.  He can now do things we once wondered if impossible!  Joshua is ready to tackle whatever happens next.  He is fully confident that he can move forward - even without knowing all that “forward” entails.

His propitious development astounds all who invest in him.  Remember, this is the same child who solicited an initial inutero response from more than one doctor in regard to our desire to abort him.  Please know their question was asked respectfully.  It simply would have been more tactful had they congratulated us on his conception first.

Each day Josh looks at mountains and perceives them to be merely mole hills.  Each day there are those who try to remind him they are really mountains.  Some hold sincere intention, like his elementary, female peers who possess that seemingly innate mothering gene and thus work to instill some type of control in all those around them.  But I also see adults interact with him... like the mom on the baseball field who seems to only announce what my son is doing wrong.  Where is the affirmation for being on that field instead?  Where is the affirmation for what my son can potentially do?  Who he can potentially be?

I believe one of our objectives in life on planet Earth is to spur others on to be who they were called to be.  To encourage them all the more.  To motivate them to use their gifts.  If we only look at others from the perspective of what they cannot do, we ourselves will never spur on another.  We will then be the ones incapable.

AR