(Editor’s note–if you are easily offended by the thought of children fighting or bullies then you may want to go buy a latte and turn on some flute music instead)
One of the most valuable lessons I learned in life about people was delivered in the form of knuckle sandwich delivered to my head by a 12 year old boy one long ago summer day.
Sent reeling against a chain link fence when my 9 year-old body received the full force of the roundhouse right, a voice inside me said, “wow, I just learned a really insightful lesson about the behavior of those whom I thought I could count on.”
Then the other voice said “get up stupid and run!”
So what brought me to this painful encounter with a boy bigger and older than myself?
Let’s set the stage.
Summer pickup baseball in a city park located close to a gritty steel mill. Nice game going on between us kids, no problems. Until the Gang of Three arrived, which was comprised of three hooligans who decided to bounce rocks off our heads and laugh about it.
Well, sir, engaging tactics from the Art of War, I rallied the troops around me (about 10 of us younger and smaller kids) and sold the group on my plan that we would launch a united attack on the three adversaries and easily prevail because we had them outnumbered.
“1-2-3 Go!” I screamed and began the charge toward the enemy standing arrogantly along the third base line. In a blinding few moments I was face to face with Mr. Evil himself and promptly informed him how “we” were going to kick their asses collectively and painfully.
Turning around to position my soldiers, my heart sank when I saw not one of them had advance an inch toward the battle line.
POW!
Yeah, you guessed it. Out like a light, last sound being that of the laughter of triumphant bastards.
Pulling myself up by grabbing onto the fence, I caught the sight of my army turning tail and running. I promptly followed.
So, what’s the lesson I learned?
Time and time again I have seen the same behavior from people who will talk a person into taking some unpopular action: confront the boss, attend a rally, engage in civil disobedience, or argue with a co-worker.
But when the fight actually starts, they turn tail and run and disavow the plan.
These are the kids bullies love to bully, bosses like to humiliate, politicians love to scare and God sends to a special place in hell.
But for those who actually make the charge, we get to carry inside of us that special feeling of pride that “we did it” while others ran.
Which direction are you headed?
Write me a note and let me know.