Who Earns The Right To Be Gold Medal Winners in Your Life?

I’m thinking about relationships as if they were the Olympics. 

• ·       Specialized
• ·       Takes work, commitment, dedication, education, practice
• ·       It’s fun
• ·       There are gold, silver and bronze winners; coaches, spotters, judges and other officials on and off the “field”
• ·       There are teammates, supporters, equals, helpers who are needed and complement
• ·       Other players are competitors
• ·       Different experience and training levels, amounts and methods, strategies and approaches
• ·       There are observers that are at different distances from and interactions with the players:  premier seating on the field, in the first rows of the auditorium or theater, mezzanine, box seating, parterre and sky boxes; the gallery, balcony, behind-the-pole box seating, some in the nose-bleed section (note this may be the same distance as sky boxes, but there’s a HUGE difference in relationship, honoring, acknowledgement, comfort, access, etc.
• ·       There are folk who want to get in but can’t for various reasons
• ·       There are folk who watch on television or online
• ·       Some folk know about the games
• ·       Some folk don’t know and don’t care
• ·       Others that I’m sure I’ve missed.

I started thinking about this because I was thinking about people in my life.  I have a small number of people who in the winner’s circles with me.  Some are gold medal winners, some silver, some bronze.    My Maternal Grandparents are definitely gold medal winners, coaches and role models.  Yeah.  People can have different places and roles.  Still, the spiritual and emotional gold medal winners/holders are few. 

It’s possible for people to change positions and importance.  “Friends” and family members change position and role depending upon family structure initially.  But our interactions, their actions, my evaluation of their actions and interactions with others may move them into the gold medal category, or may move them to the, “yeah, you just read about it in the Huffington Post – online at that. 

There are wannabes who have not earned the right to have more than seating on the back porch of a building that’s close, where the folks use a telescope to see the play.  I’m just sayin’.

Here’s the bottom line:  do you know where people are in your life.  Be honest.  Just because someone has a title or shared DNA doesn’t make them gold medal winners.  Some of those folk earn the right to be on the platform with you, some – not in the same hemisphere.  And some folk who have no title or position power or shared biology earn the right to get to and stay in the inner circle.

Be careful of how and where you invest your resources (time, energy, attention, thoughts, etc.)

Just because someone has seen a basketball doesn’t mean they can be an Olympic basketball player.  Watch who you invite to your game, who you play with, who you allow the privilege of being in your audience, who you allow to get and stay up close and personal with you.  Look at the people it is and isn't safe to play with, to win or lose with.  Who can you safely share yourself -- much less information -- with?  What are your criteria for gold medal winners?  The criteria are measures.  Do an assessment.  Maybe it's time to turn the lights out on some relationships.  And others may have a contract for life.  Lovingly, be real, be you, choose Love.