For those of you who know me, I am winning my group with my tournament bracket. For those of you who don't, let's just say that I like basketball. There is no game with quite the same intensity or excitement. Even with BYU gone, the filling of the bracket infuses interest and motivation into even the least involved individual to minimally keep track of the winners and losers. Elation and chagrin are crochetted together during this dramatic series of games as Cinderellas emerge and winners become losers. Why didn't I know each upset? Dang Davidson!
I love the underdog, the one who is slated, predicted, and expected to lose. They are going up against a stonger team, overwhelming odds, not a chance. Even when all the world shows up to chant 'aiiirballl' and 'right, left, right, left'. These 'weak links' still step onto the court and usually offer their all. When the coach has given his speech, superstitous symbols touched, and silent prayers uttered, the players in the game go under the bright lights believing they can win. Some make it happen.
As we step out onto the court how well do we prepare ourselves? Failure is too often the expected and even planned outcome. Imagined crowds darken the surroundings and even the air seems to press against our chest, and yet we do nothing to alter this perception. Postive quotes are dismissed as trivial, scripture study is ignored, and the task becomes even heavier. Winning is impossibe for we are the underdogs; the ones who have been projected as the losers; expectations are for defeat. Why even try.
The truth of the matter is that while we are all truly underdogs the odds are not really against us. You can live the impossible dream or an excuse, it's up to you. Man does not lack strength, only determination. We have the strength to overcome and win against any team of opponenets. Whether it is education and career, debt, love or sin we are never really lost. We can succeed, and greatly so, if we simply do the things which give us that inner determination characteristic of Cinderella teams who make me lose points on my bracket every year. Pray, ponder, search the scriptures, seek personal revelation, and cheer for BYU. It all is so simple yet so vital in this great tournament. Just do it.
I love the underdog, the one who is slated, predicted, and expected to lose. They are going up against a stonger team, overwhelming odds, not a chance. Even when all the world shows up to chant 'aiiirballl' and 'right, left, right, left'. These 'weak links' still step onto the court and usually offer their all. When the coach has given his speech, superstitous symbols touched, and silent prayers uttered, the players in the game go under the bright lights believing they can win. Some make it happen.
As we step out onto the court how well do we prepare ourselves? Failure is too often the expected and even planned outcome. Imagined crowds darken the surroundings and even the air seems to press against our chest, and yet we do nothing to alter this perception. Postive quotes are dismissed as trivial, scripture study is ignored, and the task becomes even heavier. Winning is impossibe for we are the underdogs; the ones who have been projected as the losers; expectations are for defeat. Why even try.
The truth of the matter is that while we are all truly underdogs the odds are not really against us. You can live the impossible dream or an excuse, it's up to you. Man does not lack strength, only determination. We have the strength to overcome and win against any team of opponenets. Whether it is education and career, debt, love or sin we are never really lost. We can succeed, and greatly so, if we simply do the things which give us that inner determination characteristic of Cinderella teams who make me lose points on my bracket every year. Pray, ponder, search the scriptures, seek personal revelation, and cheer for BYU. It all is so simple yet so vital in this great tournament. Just do it.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat. TDR
