Source: www.guardian.co.tt
Things That Matter Column
Crime and lawlessness dominates. There is a pessimistic and hopeless attitude pervading every nook and cranny of our society. Christmas weekend conversations surrounded the questions: “what the France is going on in T&T” and “how are we going to get out of the perceived morass of crime and lawlessness.” Some feel that populist utterances give the impression that legalising lawlessness is the priority of the day. Trying to relax and enjoy sorrel, ginger beer, pastelles and good Trini ole talk and humour was not easy. There were concerns about reaching home safely; fear of what one would meet on returning home, the breathalyser- even though ginger beer and black cake ought not to result in an appearance before a magistrate. There was an atmosphere of foreboding. “Reach home safe “was uttered more like a desperate and pleading prayer rather than a blessing.
How did we arrive from food filled, free spirited, loving, parang and Christmas carol merriment to this point and why do we appear unable to do anything about it? In this context it was such a delight to hear that Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II used her Christmas Day message to highlight the importance of sport in building communities, creating harmony and the important role that volunteers play. Her message touched on how sport can be used to encourage the development of vital social skills. Such an influential endorsement is timely. One can but hope that other world,national,hemispheric and regional leaders are encouraged and moved to place a higher value on the benefits of sport. Regardless of how you look at it, life is about personal relationships, about people working together. To do so effectively require a shared interest, a common bond—these are what sport provides.
Recently I read a perspective by John Maxwell. He asked this question: Once you’ve learned something, do you have a heart to share it with others, or do you hold it for yourself? He sought to differentiate between success and significance. Maxwell quoted Rusty Rustenbach: “You and I live in an age when only a rare minority of individuals desire to spend their lives in pursuit of objectives which are bigger than they are. In our age, for most people, when they die it will be as though they never lived.” He espoused key differences between success and significance—with success, motives may be selfish; with significance, motives cannot be selfish. Significance and selfishness are incompatible. Motives matter because: Selfish people seldom find significance. The other is focus-Success asks, “How can I add value to myself?” Significance asks, “How can I add value to others?” Then there is reward-If you pursue success, your joy is the result of your success; if you pursue significance, your joy is the result of others’ success.
The values of sport; tolerance, excellence, fair play, resilience, determination, discipline, non-discrimination, teamwork seem to be the values most of our citizens are clamouring for. Olympism is a philosophy that seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles. The goal of Olympism is to place everywhere sport at the service of the harmonious development of mankind, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity. Maybe, just maybe, if in 2011 sport got a chance to make a positive difference many, not all, but many of those troublesome youths could find a constructive channel for their energy and passion. Maybe through sport some, not all, but some could be encouraged and inspired to strive for significance. God Bless the Queen for understanding and appreciating Sport and its values.
NOTE: Brian Lewis is the honorary secretary general of the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee-www.ttoc.org.
The views expressed are not necessarily those of the TTOC.