Friday, September 2, 2011

Life Lessons


My uncle John (Walsh) was a career New York City Fireman, the chief of a firehouse.  Once, when I was about 10 years old, he told me that in his youth, he liked to box. He told me that he was pretty good, or at least he thought he was pretty good.  In his crowd, and in the gym where he used to train, he was the best—he beat all-comers easily.  One day, someone suggested that he fight so-and-so, an experienced Golden Gloves boxer, and my uncle said, “Sure,” without hesitation.  Well, my uncle got beat very badly, and that caused him to put his boxing career in a different perspective.  After telling me this, my uncle then explained to me that no matter how good you are, or think you are, there is always someone better than you. That is something I have never forgotten.  But over the years, I have come to understand that the lesson is not so much about skill, or about any sport or school work, but about dealing with one’s pride and ego.

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