Giving is Winning
I have watched a lot of action movies — consider it a guilty entertainment pleasure. It isn’t the violence and fast-paced editing that keeps me coming back, but rather the story archs of goodness defeating suffering.
Think about an action or adventure movie you enjoy. You may have instant memories and flashes of fight scenes, explosions, car chases, and the bad guys getting demolished. You can also think about scenes where the protagonist is brave, kind, and generous with giving his/her goodness to others.
As I reflect on some of my favorite movies, the nonviolent giving is the characteristic that drives my real appreciation for action heroes. It is less about the Star Wars scene where a Jedi is cutting through an opponent with a light saber, and more about the conversations and gestures where the Jedi is gifting comfort and kindness to others in the galaxy. A powerful realization is that they offer this amidst chaos and disorder.
It is exciting to think about the opportunities we have each day to embody the hero’s of our favorite movies. It starts with giving.
This reflection is about giving fearlessly.
Today’s Warrior Reflection:
“By following the way of the warrior, it is possible to expand our vision and give fearlessly to others. In that way, we have possibilities of effecting fundamental change. We cannot change the way the world is, but by opening ourselves to the world as it is, we may find that gentleness, decency, and bravery are available — not only to us, but to all human beings.”
Excerpt From: Trungpa, Chögyam. “Shambhala.”
Ask yourself, how much does the world give me?
Now reflect on how often you give to others. Do you give enough attention, assistance, intuition, gratitude, and love to people throughout your day? I am sure we can always give more.
The next time you are wanting to feel brave and worthy, be heroic and become the solution. Don’t ask why a problem is happening, but dive in to fix it.
Defeating the world’s most intimidating challenges and enemies starts with our ability to give the best of ourselves to others. This way we create other warriors through leading examples. In a moment of chaos or frustration today, let’s try to be the solution to the problem in the most fearless fashion.
Thanks for being brave.
