Photo credit: https://www.specsandprice.com/review/nfl-the-new-york-times
Unless you’re living under a rock, I’m sure you’re familiar with the NFL “protests” initiated by Colin Kaepernick. Colin Kaepernick took a stand, or should I say kneel during the National Anthem to protest against police brutality against African Americans in America. Because of that kneel it is believed he was blackballed by the NFL and is no longer a player.
I’m a live and let live person so I don’t care who stands or kneels for what or when. But I do think the situation has been completely blown out of proportion. I for one never listen to the National Anthem. The song written to display American pride is usually reserved for sporting events and graduation ceremonies. I’m not sure why something most Americans are rarely exposed to in any given year is the hallmark of American pride. I’ve only listened (and stood) for the National Anthem once this year, because my twin sister graduated with her PhD. Thank you sister for graduating that I might showcase my patriotism.
This is all beside the point. It’s just my little soapbox. The real question I want to pose to you is, “What will you kneel for?”
I believe apart of the reason there is this big hoopla over the so-called national anthem protest is because a lot of people don’t have anything to kneel for themselves. They don’t have anything to believe in or to take a stand for. They don’t have anything that they truly care about. A lot of people have no passion and no cause they’re willing to give their all to. They are the critic Theodore Roosevelt mentioned in his “Man in the Arena” speech.
I think a lot of people have given up on dreams and passions. What happens to a dream deferred? It breaks your heart. Life with it’s deferred dreams and closed doors has broken so many hearts. So many worthy causes we’ve devoted ourselves to have toppled over. As a result, hearts have hardened. Vision has become nearsighted. Feet have stood still. Hopes have become numb. Voices are now muted. I think many are sleep walking their way through life.
Not seeing.
Not speaking.
Not dreaming.
Not hoping.
Not hearing.
Not believing.
Not kneeling.
Instead they’re just criticizing and naysaying.
But having something to kneel for gives life meaning. Being apart of something that is bigger than yourself is fulfilling.
If you don’t have anything to kneel for I don’t know that you’re truly living.
What are you willing to kneel for? What do you care about so much that you can’t sit idly by?
And what are you willing to give up for it? Colin Kaepernick lost his job and millions of dollars. I don’t know that he knew that was a potential consequence. If he did my guess is he would have kneeled anyway.
So again I ask you, “What are you willing to give up for your beliefs/passions/dreams?”
It’s not really a passion, belief or dream if you’re not willing to give anything up for it. It’s just a nice to have at that point. There’s often a false belief that you don’t have to give anything up for your cause, but most of the times you do.
When you really care about something it doesn’t matter who’s for or against you. It doesn’t matter what you have to give up. When you really care you couldn’t stop caring even if you tried. When you’re committed to a cause it’s often because that cause chose you. It is pulling you and you can’t let go.
If you’ve ever had something you were willing to kneel for you’d know how fulfilling it is. People talk a lot about purpose. They wonder what they’re here for and what they’re supposed to do with their life.
I always say the purpose of life is to grow, but I also believe we’re supposed to kneel.
So what will you kneel for?