In the summer, man-child number 2, the sports fan, heard some startling news about his favourite hockey player. At first, he didn’t believe his idol would do what he was accused of doing.
“She’s a puck bunny, Mom. She’s looking to get his money, that’s all,”
Ohhh-Kayyyy. Time to have the conversation. And by the way, guilty or not, thanks Patrick Kane. You need to learn son, that people, especially younger players are watching and you need to conduct yourself with some dignity and class so you don’t get yourself into these pickles.
You can’t hide much from your children these days. Information is everywhere and you have to be prepared to address all kinds of questions and word brutal honesty in a way they can understand, simply and tastefully. The truth was not easy for Logan to accept because in his mind such great talent on the ice meant greatness in every aspect of the idol’s life and it took me and his father days to explain to him that talent does not dictate character.
During one of our talks about the importance of everyone’s behavior and responsibility to be respectful (especially those in the spotlight) he looked at me and asked,
“Who are the heroes Mom?”
A valid question asked with a mix of disappointment, weariness and not as much hope as I would have liked. So I began by having him look up the definition of hero – a person, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. So instantly and quite proudly he started name dropping the usuals – Mother Teresa, Anne Frank, Mandela, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr. which made me quite proud but I needed to make this lesson more real for him; more identifiable with his interests and I wanted to challenge his thinking in a different way. I decided to go the sports route and gave him the names of athletes who are regarded by some as solid role models. So Logan, if you read this, perhaps it will help find the answer to your question. Lets start with your beloved hockey and Jonathon Toews.
Jonathon Toews is a young man who is regarded by fellow NHL-ers and people in his community as a stand up, polite and respectful young man on and off the ice. The Winnipeg native has captained the Chicago Blackhawks since he was 20. A calm and composed demeanour gave rise to the nickname “Captain Serious” by his teammates. His hard work and talent earned him and his team two Stanley Cups and he also has won back-to-back Olympic gold medals with team Canada. He is an ambassador for the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Program, a charity that funds sport participation for underprivileged kids and he supports Misencordia – a group home for youth with special needs in Winnipeg, the Winnipeg Nourishing Potential Program feeding kids facing hunger and has supported the Make a Wish Foundation. His actions off the ice have resulted in this 27 year old being awarded the Order of Manitoba.
Rickie Fowler is another young athlete who is a great role model for youngsters. The beautiful thing about this young guy isn’t just his face. He is his own person and has, with the help of his family been able to shake off the haters and senseless criticism and has kept marching along in his colourful golf attire to the beat of his own drum. He is a book, misjudged by the cover. He is young, good looking, earns a decent paycheck and a lot of it comes from endorsements and as such there is a lot of fodder there for jealous haters. As flashy as he looks, this youngster does not drink and does not swear. He likes his cars and his dirt bikes and likes to have fun but he isn’t a party animal. He is proud of his faith and family and is known to be one of the nicest and most respectful players on the PGA tour. He gives as much as he receives and started the Rickie Fowler Foundation that supports (his heritage) Asian American and Native American youth in need and he is involved in the First Tee – a youth golf development organization. My favourite Rickie situation this summer was watching him come from behind to win the The Players Championship 2015, coming down the stretch carding birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie ultimately winning a 3 man playoff against Sergio Garcia and Kevin Kisner with a (-12) twelve under par. But it wasn’t the score that impressed me. It was the quiet victory shutting up the criticism of his peers in a Sports Illustrated Poll that regarded him as the most over-rated golfer on tour. When asked his thoughts on their opinion of him, where he had every right to vent his feelings, he simply smiled that gorgeous smile and said,
“Well, (firmly gripping his trophy) this seems like a significant enough win,”
If I wasn’t already a fan, that comment would sealed the deal for me. He let the golf speak for itself and in an era of trash talkers, this young man chose to take the high road, with grace, dignity, the prize money in his pocket and the trophy in his hands and it was more effective and classier than retaliating with harsh words or gloating. Gotta admire the guy.
LeBron James is sort of like the King of the NBA. He is a four-time MVP and two-time NBA Champion who has simply dominated the league since he joined it, and is without a doubt the league’s best player today. He is also a great human being off the court. He has an active role in the Boys & Girls Club, ONEXONE, and the Children’s Defense Fund. as well as having his own charity – the LeBron James Family Foundation, which raises money for numerous causes in his native Akron. Humble and charismatic, he is also described as fan friendly and loyal. LeBron makes time for signing autographs and taking pictures and interacting with the fans whom he holds close to his heart. He is loyal to the community he grew up in, purchasing new uniforms for his alma mater high school’s football team and even showed up at their pep rally. Once in Oklahoma, the team’s plane was fueling up alongside a bunch of helicopters transporting military personnel. The soldiers wanted photos and autographs. While security said no to the soldiers, LeBron gathered the team together and went to the soldiers and took as many photos and signed autographs for as long as the vehicles were being fuelled, making the soldiers very happy. LeBron James, of course has the incredible work ethic needed to be a great athlete and a great ambassador for his sport. He trains and practices long hours in order to be the best at what he does and puts his time in as Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association. Since his involvement, James has begun taking a bigger role in the direction of the league and how players conduct themselves, setting the example by his own behavior on and off the court with a heavy emphasis on sportsmanship, constantly complimenting fellow NBA players in person and over social media, as well as expressing his support when guys get injured or are unable to play. Watching him stay out of trouble and handle public scrutiny with dignity and class is a pleasure and is what makes him an ideal role model for young people.
I could go on about other athletes who are positive role models but the greatest example I could give you, son, just requires you to look in the mirror. In your reflection you will find reflections of your father, your brother and grandfathers and uncles and cousins and grand mothers and aunts and hopefully a little bit of me in there. You see, my boy, you are a good person. A really good person – even on the days you drive me mad. You have learned (and are still learning) the lessons we teach and we admire how you try to apply them to your everyday life. You are accepting of others and are kind even when others are not kind to you. You don’t intentionally try to hurt anyone’s feelings and if you do, you apologize. I have never seen you make anyone uncomfortable in our home and I really admire how respectful and polite you are. You work hard at the things you are passionate about and you are very open to new things. One of your most endearing qualities is your generosity. One of my favourite memories with you was in church one day when you decided you were going to contribute to the collection plate with your own money. You pulled out a $5.00 bill (that I knew you intended to spend on ice cream) and said,
“You know, I could enjoy the ice cream, but this money could make someone happier and change something for them. I’d rather give them a nice day,”
Child of mine, you truly uplift my soul. You add so much joy to our family and are so amazing with Adam, jumping in and spending time with him and helping us out without being asked many times. I believe you are the kindest person I know, next to your father, that’s why when some idiots go beyond casual ribbing and poking fun at you, my blood boils a little. I know you struggle with that at times and I know you don’t understand why some kids think its cool to try and make others uncomfortable. There are days I wish you had my loose cannon temper so that you could go nuts on them, (hence why I am just a sliver in what makes you a hero, lol) but you are your father’s son and he has several admirable qualities I fell in love with right away and so of course you are like him and I know, no matter what you face, you will choose the high road. (Just don’t forget to continue to stand up for yourself, even if you don’t think you want to …never let people walk all over you. You are far too good a person for that and you always deserve respect. Always. So … demand it.)
So, man-child #2 here is the conclusion. A hero is a person who is mindful of others. A hero does right by other people and gives of himself and though you might find you do good things and the gratitude does not come, do not let it sour who you are, because who you are is beautiful and heroic and your character far outweighs those of men much older than you. You are my hero, Dad’s hero and most importantly, Adams hero. Life will dish out it’s fair share of crap but I feel if you remember who you are and where you come from and be true to yourself, you will find happiness and satisfaction. I believe in you. I always have and I pray that nothing or no one changes you. I wish you the most adventurous life journey. I hope you get to see and do great things and while you do, just be you because everyone you encounter along the way will be lucky to have met you. Who are the heroes? They are the people who see good in the darkest of situations, the people who give without expecting anything in return and the people who are happy for whatever they have and not preoccupied by what they do not have or just can’t seem to get. Keep being our hero my boy by staying as sweet as you are. You are a blessing and I am so grateful you came to us. Love you forever,
Mom.
IsleChile ... All B.S Aside 