As the day turns to night, lights turn on to keep the 'daytime' alive. Sitting up late, with many things running through my head, what thoughts do I want to write.
I keep turning back to something I wanted to share, the speech from Al Pacino in Any Given Sunday. I had never watched this film until this recent Thanksgiving. Alex and I spent Thanksgiving with Connie and Steve and we enjoyed this movie after a day filled with good food and great company.
It was a great film and the part that really moved me the most was Al Pacino's speech when they are sitting in the locker room near the end of the movie. The quote can be found here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146838/quotes. I wanted to share just part of it, but I think you have to read the entire speech (below):
"I don't know what to say, really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today, and either, we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we're finished. We're in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here, get the shit kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell... one inch at a time. Now I can't do it for ya, I'm too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I've made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I've pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who's ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that's... that's... that's a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin' stuff. You find out life's this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this, in any fight it's the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I'm gonna have any life anymore it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can't make you do it. You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think ya going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him. That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?"
When I heard this, it made me reflect back to the conversations Alex and I have had. We talk about how every second counts, every detail is important. It is about preparation, being aware of all the little things in life and how each one plays a part into something bigger. He has explained that in football, there is so much more than meets the eye, which I definitely see now since I have been watching more football than I used to.
This is applicable to other aspects in life, not just sports. Taking the time to realize all the fine details in life is important. As some people say, don't sweat the small stuff, come to find out, there are a lot of things that turn out to be the small stuff. There is a book with this title, "Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff," by Richard Carlson, PH.D. Thank you to Connie for lending me this book, I am almost finished with it.
To all the small things in life, take enjoyment in them and see appreciate the smile that they put on your face, or the laughter that it brings you.
~ MCA
