Although I am originally Italian, I am not a big soccer fan. When Italy wins I am glad, when it loses I am not, and that's it. I was very disappointed by the way the team played at the last World Cup and I now acknowledge that a lot of progress has been made. But it's not this that I want to talk about here.
I want to briefly comment a couple of sentences that I read on the two leading Italian newspapers, "Corriere della Sera" and "Il Giornale," the day after the match Italy-Spain (0-4) for the European Soccer Cup. The first one wrote, "We have lost balance, we need to make the team grow." The second said, “Four goals hurt but they can't erase two beautiful soccer lessons to England and Germany.”
As usual, when I hear or read something that, for one reason or another, strikes me, I need to think about it and see if there is a hidden wisdom I can learn from. And I believe that here there is more than one. Let's see.
The first sentence, "We have lost balance" has a very interesting meaning because it makes me think how, every now and then, people tend to become too sure of themselves and presume they know it all, they can do anything. They believe in their unbeatable strength. In so doing, they lose balance, i.e. they don't see things clearly and end up overlooking the weak points that always exist in any single facet of creation, be it a human being or any other "piece" of the puzzle. No one is perfect, although each has its important place. But "each" needs to be placed in the right spot, it needs to recognize and accept that "that" is its spot and not another one - the one he would have preferred.
The rest of the sentence "We need to make the team grow" is an acknowledgment that, again, no one is perfect and that there is always place for improvement. Spain itself, being the champion, the mightiest so far, will one day find another team that will beat them and become the new champion. Everything changes, nothing stays the same and things often get overturned. What we all need to be aware of is that we should never stop learning, being open to new possibilities, trying our wings to see how high we can soar ... and then try harder.
The second sentence, "Four goals hurt but they can't erase two beautiful soccer lessons to England and Germany" make me perceive two more facets of the human nature. One is the capability of accepting a defeat, the other is the desire to raise one's head and boast of the previous success. Both are interesting positions, aren't they? Humility is a good thing, when necessary, and also a little arrogance is acceptable, provided it does not escalate. If it does, it will yield bitter fruit (as it happened in the last World Cup). Don't presume too much of yourself. As good as you might be, you must keep doing your best - not only - you must also endeavor to become better and better.
As long as you are alive, you never stop learning. Life, I have come to believe, is a sort of university where you never reach graduation. Disappointing? I don't think so. Possibly, exciting, because you never know where you can end up! And being surprised by what you can actually do, if you "really" apply yourself, is one of the greatest joys of the human existence. It's the door to inner “fulfillment.”
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