It Was Good for our Souls

Bizzarro Date 10/09/2009

Am I the only person left in America that thinks losing is good for the soul? As a child I have many memories of winning games and probably just as many (if not more) of losing.
A childhood friend of mine had a chess set that I could not wait to master. He repeatedly toyed with my inexperience for months, beating me game after game. It was probably longer than that, but what I remember more than all of the LOSSES was the look on his face when I finally beat him. Not the games he would occasionally let me win, but the legitimate first time I out-thought him. My chest probably stuck out as far a Popeye's after that "W". And I think he also got something out of it too. It was good for our souls. No matter how many times I won or lost our back and fortth competitions, my wins were his wins too. You see, he knew that he had accomplished something in a loss to me. His losses were really wins for him as he was able to pass on his knowledge and love for the game to me. With every loss he could sit back and bask in the feeling that I was a product of his hard work.
Later as a young adult I wound up working construction. A dog eat dog world in every sense of the saying. I worked alongside ex-cons, high school drop-outs, the many superviser's relatives, and others who all had taken many alternate paths to the construction world. This was not your "Captain Kangaroo' kind of atmosphere. One job comes to mind though where we had a chess set in the break area that a few of us would play. A couple of the guys were very talented and understood the game well. Then there were others who didn't know what they were doing. We would all watch the games unfold waiting for our turn to play the winner. I remember beating a few guys that didn't look like they would be good losers, and in another setting, there probably would have been grave consequences for winning. But what I don't remember is a single instance of someone getting those "consequences." I'm sure that every man there shared the same experience of repeatedly losing before they were able to win a game and that kept everything civil. There was even a small tournament that took place over a few weeks. One of the guys brought an old trophy from his house and it was given to the winner. No arguements, nothing but respect for the winners and compassion for the losers. Yes, I said it......losers. You see, there has to be a winner and a loser for a game to play out. It is good for the soul.
We actually played the game before we announced the winners. No man was given the trophy on what he was about to do. It sounds crazy , I know. Asking teams to play football games to an end instead of giving out the "W" to the team that had a good game plan. While parents sit at games and give out ribbons to everyone for showing up, they have taken away the satisfaction that comes along with achievement. Shouldn't the person that worked hardest, overcame, and excelled get something to reward their work?
This attitude of "trophys for everyone" has reached a new low today, when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Barack Obama. For what? Maybe it was given to him for his actions? What actions? I don't see any NPP worthyness in his actions. It seems, sadly, that this award has been downgraded to nothing more than a soccer ribbon. How embarassing for the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet to accept reward for something he hasn't achieved. What a role model for our youth.
I can hear the mothers of the next generation of children now. "It doesnt matter if you win or not, everyone gets the same trophy."
This attitude has the haunting undertones of Socialism. Everybody gets the same house, same car, same pay. That is not the America that I invisioned for my family. Our new phony leader getting a now phony award. (Kinda brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?)
Our President has once again left me with the task of explaining this life lesson to my children. Do I now tell them that dear old Dad has been lying to them and they don't need to study, the teacher will pass them anyway? Or maybe i should tell my son to stop practicing his basketball skills? That Obama is changing things and he will get to start no matter how bad his layup is? Oh my , Barack Obama, if we are to endure four years of you leading our country. I hope that soon you will decide to lead them in the right direction.