What I don’t mean is to speak slightingly of someone or to cause someone to seem little or less. What I’m referring to is your footprint. It pays to be humble. To not make a fuss. Not be dramatic and attract attention to oneself. I was taught at a young age to keep your head down and mind your own work/business.
I played a lot of sports growing up and I never talked trash to any of the other players. There were probably several reasons why, but I never felt the need to do that. My stance was that I was going to let my play do the talking. The scoreboard. Not my mouth. Besides, in sports the game is never over until it’s over, so I found no sense in saying anything after a bucket when the next time down the floor the other team may score a layup. It didn’t jive with me.
It would seem nowadays, there is a choreographed celebration dance after every tackle in the NFL. It’s their job. I’m not saying I don’t like enthusiasm. In fact I love it. But, it would seem there is a lot of focus on the one-self – the individual instead of the whole.
Let’s have fun. Let’s celebrate life, no doubt as it is a miraculous thing. But, let’s remember, we’re all in this thing together. As Barry Sanders’ (retired NFL Running Back) Mother told him when he was a kid after scoring a touchdown, “Act like you’ve been there before and that you’re coming back.” After scoring one of his 109 touchdowns, I never saw him even spike the ball. He would always just hand or toss the ball to the ref as to say, “Don’t worry, I’ll be back.”