Being Part of Something Special

Perfection

Being Part of Something Special

There were about fourteen thousand five hundred people in the bowl surrounding me.  When I sat down, I knew I was at the bottom, on the floor.  I didn’t know that I was at the bottom of a volcano that was about to erupt!

The eruption didn’t happen right at first.  There were small cascades that were portends of something else.  But there was no eruption.

Then a young woman began running toward me in a fluid motion.  She leaped, blocked, twisted and landed in model form.  The head judge was sitting on my left.  I watched her eyes.  They were full of surprise.  I can say she looked a little shocked!  Then her eyes focused on the paper in front of her.  She wrote two numbers on the sheet, a one and a zero!

I looked across the runway to the other judge.  Her score was about to post.  I could feel a low rumble beginning to build.  Her score flashed and the eruption began.  A perfect score!

I called the number to the head table.  Score. Utah. Vault. Ten. Ten. Ten average!

The eruption peaked and the roof of the Huntsman Center felt as if it was going to be lifted right off the rest of the building so the jubilation could flow down off the hill.  But, there was another gymnast getting ready to run.

She was far down the runway.  She bolted.  She sprang off the board, blocked, flew, twisted and landed in perfection!  I looked to my left.  The head judge looked out over the scene and unconsciously shrugged her shoulders.  She wrote the same two numbers.  Another perfect ten!

An eruption began to build again and I called in the score.  Score.  Utah. Vault. Ten. Ten. Ten average!

I’ve never seen two perfect tens in a row.  Ever!  It was something special.  It was something special to be part of.

My friend Tim is also on the floor staff of Utah Gymnastics.  We talked after the meet.  We talked about the experience.  He said, “It is really great to be part of something . . .?”  He couldn’t find the word.

“Something special!”  I finished.

“Yes!  Something special!”

We weren’t the ones who did something special.  We aren’t the great athletes or the great coaches.  But, we are part of something much larger than we are alone!

Now I’m sitting alone, two days later and I’m reflecting on my years of experience being part of Utah Gymnastics.  I must tell you, being a part of something larger than yourself, giving yourself to something greater, gives a person the chance to catch a glimpse of perfection.  Being part of a larger group allows a person to combine his or her own talents with the talents of others to become part of a greater whole.  Something one person could never accomplish on an individual basis.  It makes everyone who participates greater!

Look around, focus on what interests you, and then volunteer to be part of it.  Add your best skills, your hopes and dreams.  Give of yourself and then you’ll begin to receive!  When you receive, it will be like sitting in the bottom of a volcano watching an eruption of good swirl around you.  And, over time you’ll overflow with gratitude, delight and gratitude.