WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

MenoSunday; Life Lived Lovingly

With all the Olympics and Pawlympics going on, one has been absorbed up to the hair follicles with sporting events of such variety as to boggle the mind; the efforts of the organisers in both compawtishuns are to be congratulated for their efforts; the pawticipants from all over the globe must be commended for their determination and grit; we, the spectators, can only sit and wonder at the level of dedication.

Having a goal to be the best of the best is the motivation. Motivation of itself, however, does not carry one across the line. One must act upon that motivation, put in the practice, learn the skills, stick to the plan: but in all that rigidity, there must be flexibility and suppleness, an ability to 'go with the flow' of the moment at which it is all coming together. One must think on one's feet and also never let doubt enter our focus.

In an ideal world, everyone would win gold. Blogville works on that ideal and the Pawlympics have already seen countless hauls of gold going out to all who enter the wonderfurs events around our part of the ether.

The Os are not quite so egalitarian. One sometimes wonders at all the expense of running and attending them. Also,  the ongoing benefits can be debated. The following is clear, however, when the athletes are interviewed and observed in their element; firstly their Love for what they do, as well as their Love for their fellow athletes in this most supreme of world events; secondly their focus; thirdly, their ability to endure much in pursuit of their ideal.

These three things applied to life would surely carry us far! Living life Lovingly includes that we must first and foremost Love what we do. Far too easy it is to think of things as a chore, as an obligation, as a mere method of obtaining something in return. Fine, if we gain gold, all good and well, but it must not be at the expense of anger, frustration, meanness and so on. Souring our personality is no win at all. Observe those in the sports you follow during these two weeks; note the ones who miss out on their ideal. Who do you feel sympathy for... the one who fights well and smiles even in not attaining this time round... or the one who scowls and chucks their towel and is generally bad-tempered?  The first is a winner in the Love-lympics. The second needs to have a rethink!

The 'spirit of competition' implies that one enjoys participation purely for the sake of the sport, that one will do so in good order and according to the rules with no sense of cheating or hatred, that there is respect for one's opponents and a genuine pleasure on their behalf should they be the victor and not oneself. Watching camaraderie is so much more pleasurable than turned backs and cold shoulders.

This applies to all things in life. 'Healthy' competition is what makes us work for ever greater and higher attainment. Anything other might be termed as greed and ambition and at best leads to disagreements, at worse, to out-and-out conflict. As the Ps and the Os continue to entertain, let us - for just a little each day - not forget to pray for all the parts of the globe which are still operating under varying degrees of conflict and are much in need of our Love. Places where the participation in or watching of sport is not only a luxury, but a near impossibility. Places where the 'competition' is survival.


5 comments:

  1. I am often impressed by some of the athletes ability to lose gracefully. That in itself is an art!

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  2. Yam-Aunty, I like the pawlympics because we all do our best and we all win the gold.

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  3. They are to be admired, the losers as well as the winners.
    Merle...........

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  4. Mom admires all the dedication to their sport and all the time it takes.
    I, Madi, on the other hand...OMCS I heard one of the swimmers say he eats 8000 calories a day. I'm considering taking up swimming!!
    Hugs Madi the eating machine and Mom

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  5. I think we sometimes forget that when we are losers we really aren't losers.

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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