Moments of Light

Johnny Lingo has to be one of my favorite movies of all time, but for those of you who aren't as familiar with it, here is the skinny.
Johnny Lingo is one of the wealthier islanders on his island, and is well know for his trips and adventures out to sea, where he collects trade goods such as rare sea shells. Upon Johnny Lingo's return from one such endeavor, he announces that he will be choosing a wife. A frantic excitement ensues as the young and single women all wonder and hope that they will be chosen. Their fathers also hope their daughter will be "the one" as their tradition is that the groom-to-be pays the father of his future bride in cows.
The movie also focuses on one of the young women. Her name is Mahanna (I took my best guess on how to spell it). Most of the villagers see Mahanna as a poor, clumsy, dirty girl who they enjoy ridiculing, and her father treats her the worst. Saying things like "Mahanna you ugly! Come down from that tree!" and "Why would Johnny Lingo pick you? You dirty girl!"
There is a great scene with a few of the older island women gossiping to each other about who Johnny Lingo will pick, and How many cows he will pay for her, being that he is such a renowned trader, he could bargain for her. A few of the women are vain and have a conversation as follows "My husband paid 3 cows for me, I am a 3 cow wife!" "well my husband paid 4 cows for me!" "I would hardly call those scrawny animals cows!"
As fate would have it, Johnny Lingo does pick Mahanna. He goes to her father to strike up a deal. Mahanna's father is not only surprised that Johnny Lingo wants Mahanna, but also that he has offered to trade 8 cows for her. "EIGHT COWS??? That has never happened before on the history of the island!!!"
Of course her father accepts and the two are married.
When they return from their honeymoon, all the island is shocked with the change they see in Mahanna. Mahanna is beautiful and clean. She is happy and smiling, and when she returns to working the farms, she outperforms them all.
I love this story, it teaches so many good lessons, but there is one in general that always gets me.
There is power in valuing someone. Hope, Motivation and Enthusiasm, which are so difficult to find in people, are created in the souls of those we value.
I know that the warm and fuzzies stop here for many people, because I am switching gears to talk about sports, but stick with me, and I promise I won't let you down.
The 2010 NFL draft was this last week, and I have to say that I am proud to be a Broncos fan. Not because they are the best in the league, nor do I expect them to be, but because they are a good organization, full of good people.
Tim Tebow is arguably one of the best quarterbacks to ever play college football, just look at his stats, but that didn't stop many people from saying rude things and degrading him with harsh criticism. "His mechanics are bad" "he isn't actually a good leader" "he was lucky to be so surrounded with talent, that's why they won two national titles." Don't get me wrong, criticism is a powerful tool, but there was nothing constructive about what these people were saying.
Tebow responded by working hard and saying nothing.
As day one of the draft came, people continued to scoff that Tim would be drafted in either of the first or second rounds. Every one of those people went silent as the Broncos traded multiple other draft picks in order to move up and draft him in the first round.
This is why I am a fan, because in Denver they still believe in investing in people. They took Tim Tebow and they didn't say "Tim you are valuable to us." They did it. They didn't pretend anything. Actions speak with a power words can't describe. Now, Tebow hasn't set foot on the field just yet, so we will see how he does, but I am not worried at all. When you make an investment and show someone how far you are willing to go to help them out, its helps them do their part too. Which would you rather prefer?? A) A player with an attitude that they are the best and that's why they were drafted, or B) A player who thinks that you, You personally, value them. You value their time, their effort, their leadership, their skills, not to mention their BCS Titles.
I really believe that.
Let's take this off the football field, off the island, out of the internet, and let's make this real. When was the last time that you or I made a real investment in someone? When was the last time you felt that someone else really truly values you? In a world growing ever darker, who dares to shed light? To bring hope and direction to another, who may or may not know they are in need. When was the last time you conquered your impatience? When was the last time service and caring came before money and selfishness? Do you find yourself saying things that your actions don't match? I believe that if given the question "Do you want to live in a good world?" the vast majority of us would say yes, but when was the last time you drove the speed limit or told the truth in a hard spot? When was the last time you donated to a charity or helped someone out? I want to live in a world where people aren't afraid to help, where people aren't too selfish or caught up in something else to make the world a better place.
It all starts somewhere, with someone. Be that person! Value other people, their time and their effort, value their potential. Work on it everyday. Its a rude joke that society plays to pretend that charity and kindness is for the month of December or to get our taxes in order. We can be the start of something great. As you take your first step and turn to see an old world from a new perspective, remember the truth that is so often forgotten "Easier said than done, because actions speak louder than words."