95th Edition
A Box of Old Trophies
I’ve been a packrat all my life. I believe in saving, well, just about everything. But every once in a while, like once a year, I go up into the attic and try to find something to discard. Recently, I found a box of old trophies. Not many really, because I grew up in the era before participation trophies were the norm. Am I ever grateful for that… Sorting through the box I found one of my favorite ones. It was a trophy I received for winning the Punt, Pass, and Kick contest in my hometown when I was nine years old.
Admittedly, every year since, when fall arrives, when the weather starts to turn cold and the leaves begin dropping, I’m reminded of that exciting moment. The winner of the Punt, Pass, and Kick competition has to kick and throw far and accurately. None of my attempts traveled all that far, but I was very accurate. That philosophy of concentrating on accuracy has guided me my entire life.
Striving for accuracy can be practiced in many ways. One way is to commit to doing things the right way. Whether its punting a football, hitting a golf ball, or closing a lucrative business deal, there is typically a right way to do it. As most people learn as they progress from childhood contests to more significant competitions and business situations, there can be multiple ways to do the right thing. And of course there are usually multiple ways to do the wrong thing. One has to have a rule book, or better yet, a moral compass to determine right from wrong. All kinds of questions come to mind when thinking about rule books and moral compasses. Who gets to set the rules and what rules do the rule makers follow? How does a person develop a moral compass? Do people who help us develop one already have one that they utilize?
As history has shown, incredibly evil things can happen when people no longer are guided by a moral compass. Nazi Germany beginning in the late 1930’s and through the end of WWII was such a place. The process of abandoning a moral compass typically occurs gradually. Charismatic evil personalities, apathy, fear, prejudice, and false gods are all forces that can lead to moral decay. People across all nations are collectively responsible for remaining vigilant and fighting against these forces. Isolationism and appeasement are signs that our vigilance has weakened. A strong and active faith, a commitment to liberty and justice for all, and an engaged community are all signs that vigilance is strong. This is humanity’s journey, our struggle as people with free will, but interconnected in multiple ways.
We live in a world that keeps getting more interconnected every generation. From commerce to the environment, to national defense, some of our connections are becoming stronger, some weaker and more dangerous, while virtually all our becoming more complicated. How will our leaders handle all this? Are we confident in their decision making? Do they even have a moral compass, or do their beliefs vacillate in response to the latest polls?
Another way that striving for accuracy can be manifested is to do the right thing for the right reason. In short, the why matters. This is also humanity’s journey, a daily struggle between opposing forces. Being self-absorbed or having a servant’s heart. Being oblivious or apathetic to the world around you or focusing on helping to make a positive difference in your community and in the world. Individually and collectively we get this right sometimes but screw it up other times. We need grace and encouragement and forgiveness to guide us along this journey. None of which happens without intentionality. Unfortunately, the opposite happens much more naturally. Showing and receiving grace requires humility and the ability to love unconditionally. A character trait that has to be worked at. For every impactful encourager there tends to be many more discouragers. People who doubt, who harbor jealousy, or who are too self-absorbed to think of encouraging others, seem to be lurking everywhere. Granting forgiveness may be the hardest one of all, but its positive impact on relationships and mental health is incalculable.
I suspect most people have a box of old trophies or awards in their attic, reminding them of past accomplishments, fortuitous times and cherished memories. There are life lessons in that box, too. Don’t throw them out. Share them with the next generation and the generation to follow.
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Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.