Laugh, Think, Cry

 

“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. Number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that’s a full day. That’s a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you’re going to have something special.”

-       Jim Valvano, ESPNs speech 1993

 

I am always reminded of this speech this time of year on ESPN. Jim Valvano was dying of cancer when he gave it. Sadly, he passed away less than two months later. If you have never heard this speech, you need to. (Easy to find on YouTube) His words of wisdom make up one of the most moving speeches of all time. It is powerful, motivating, passionate and emotional.  What if we all really experienced all three things daily?  He was right, we would have something special. 

 

Laugh, Think and Cry today…

Special Edition

As if we did not have our hands already full with a pandemic, our society is now engulfed in a fragile state of racial division and violent protests.  This divisiveness is not new, but that does not make it acceptable.  The senseless killing of George Floyd is certainly not acceptable, but neither are the violence-oriented protests in response.

I am a 61-year-old white male with no idea what it feels like to be a man of color in this country.  However, I am pained by the stories of the fear felt by black men walking in their own neighborhoods and driving in their own communities. If this is not unsettling to you, it should be.  Simple answers and clarity do not come easily, but we cannot sit idly by.

A few responses seem clear to me…

• Pray
• Give grace and be slow to judge
• Speak out loudly against racism and all forms of hatred
• Make the effort, it takes effort, to listen and understand the perspective of others
• Be inclusive and blind to ethnicity
• Support elected officials, communities and organizations that are inclusive
• Be thoughtful and intentional with social media posts, and be careful about what you believe on those forums
• Educate yourself with facts from a variety of sources
• Spread love by your actions in our communities and neighborhoods
• Start conversations with your friends and families, with people of different races, and with people of different opinions
• Pray

The MMM is not a current events or political blog, but a person I respect made a statement that tugged at my heart, “silence is seen as indifference”.  I am not indifferent and the MMM is not about indifference. 

Resilience & Adaptability

Humans are incredibly resilient and more adaptable than we think. Proof of this can be observed during this time of crisis. We have figured out totally new ways to conduct business and interact with others. Companies have pivoted their entire business models, some to move products into areas of need and others to make entirely new products. Working from home has taken on a whole new, and very serious, meaning. We have learned to home-school, social distance, Zoom, and even cook better. Our family relationships, both virtual and in the confines of our homes has changed, and hopefully improved.

The uplifting part of this resilience and adaptability manifests itself in how we have rallied to the cause. The emotional stories about special things being done for healthcare workers are overwhelming. Our acknowledgement of environmental staff and truck drivers and their importance to our world is amazing. The donation of time and talents across this country is truly impressive.

This change in our way of lives has not been easy and has become tiresome. However, we are surviving this because we are resilient, and we have adapted.