Last month, athletes around the world competed in The Winter Olympics, showing off skills and talent they’ve spent much of their lives mastering in order to reach the level they have. Personally, I don’t follow every contest or keep track of the medal count but enjoy tuning into several of the events and highlights. From the limited coverage I watched, this year’s competition served as that microcosm of life as sports often do, underscoring the triumphs and tragedies everybody faces on a regular basis.
In the United States, one of the biggest headlines was figure skater Ilia Malinin’s performance on the ice rink. After several falls and failing to earn a medal and place on the podium for his solo program, he candidly admitted, “On the world’s biggest stage, those who appear the strongest may still be fighting invisible battles on the inside. Even your happiest memories can end up tainted by the noise.” Other athletes have confessed similar unseen struggles in various competitions, which have played a major factor in their achievements.
Such glimpses reveal that no one gets a break from being human. That may sound like a ridiculous, perhaps even laughable, statement, but it’s a reminder we shouldn’t take for granted for several reasons. We tend to put one another in a box, whether it be based on occupation, abilities, or other forms of social status.
“He’s just an athlete,” we might conclude. Or “She’s only a stay-at-home mom.” “He’s legally blind.” “She has a chronic condition.”
You get the picture.
Although we may acknowledge what a person deals with or the work they’ve done to succeed as they have, we may fall into the trap of discounting the other aspects of life they encounter. Whether you’re at the height of your career or suffering from an incurable disease, you’re still subject to all of the vulnerabilities everybody has. None of us would define our entire life story in a single, static term, so how can we do that to others?
This became clearer than ever to me a number of years ago when a dear friend who, like me, suffered from Cerebral Palsy was diagnosed with cancer. When she received the news, I felt like it was such a betrayal of her body. When you’re plagued by one debilitating condition from birth, no less, shouldn’t that box be checked, sparing you of future illnesses that make life even harder?
Life in this world doesn’t work that way. Whether we’ve lived with chronic conditions or been in the best shape possible, everybody can and typically will be afflicted by challenges. We may share them with the public or we may not. Hence, we ought not assume we know everything a person is facing just because we are aware of their general identity.
Realizing the toll of being human can also benefit us on a personal level in dealing with ourselves. When you’re at the top of your game, so to speak, you tend not to cut yourself much slack on letting yourself have a bad day. Appreciation is one of the most important qualities to me, and I’ve always tried to be grateful for the limited abilities I have as well as the kindness and support I’ve received. At times throughout my personal and professional successes, however, I’ve contended with a lot of the difficulties common to everybody.
For instance, during the years when I was making strides in my physical progress, I was still just a teenager, navigating puberty and all the emotion-driven turmoil that goes along with it! I was grateful for everything that was happening to me and did my best to enjoy the moment. Even so, I had my share of misery, which I tried to mask because I didn’t want to seem unappreciative. Looking back now, though, I wish I had given myself a little more allowance to process my feelings.
Humanity is indeed a full-time job for us all, and sometimes, the pay doesn’t seem to cut it! I think we can agree the best compensation is kindness. We owe each other kindness because we understand how taxing humanity can be, even if our circumstances aren’t the same. Likewise, we owe ourselves kindness because that’s what will keep “the lights on,” if you will. Unlike monetary payment, kindness is inexhaustible, not to mention available and accepted everywhere.
KarinaBartow.com 