Usually, the greatest lessons can be learned from the most unlikely places.
Just this weekend, I was given the opportunity to witness the 2nd MVP Olympics, a gathering of 17 sister companies sharing their talents and skills in sports and games. Just like any sporting event, you have the giants, those expected to win almost any game because of sheer size of their selection of talents, and you have the dwarves, small companies that are just there for participation's sake. In this smorgasbord of an event, I was happy to join a small company among the 17, the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital (OLLH). Now, I know what you'd be thinking, these guys wouldn't have a chance against the heavyweights like PLDT, Meralco, Smart, and the likes. Sure, these giants had great uniforms and skillful players. They had the financial capacity to make sure their players were prepared. They deserve every right to win the events.
However, I had fun being with OLLH. I was impressed that with such a small company, it had the fighting spirit to rival any of the giants. They didn't need flashy uniforms, large drums, colorful props, loads of funding, and lengthy preparation time to develop that spirit. Somehow, it has been embedded in them. Despite their chances winning against the stronger teams being slim, they still stuck it out, never backing down from the challenge. This spirit was well observed by the competitors that they too cheered them on in their events, even if their teams were competing. "It doesn't matter if we lose, as long as we had fun playing the game."
They taught me that it wasn't winning the game that was important; it was playing it. You wouldn't really understand the feeling of victory if you haven't played the game. You technically did not have to be better than the competition, you just had to be great being who you are. If you understand that early on, no problem can hinder you to become who you want to be. And most of all, nothing can replace the power of a fighting spirit: it picks up a wounded man after every fall, it gives strength to a mother to deliver her child, it inspires the weary traveler to continue on the journey.
As the events ended, I couldn't help but smile. The results were now irrelevant. For me, I knew who the real champions were, and I didn't need to see the medals to convince me otherwise.
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However, I had fun being with OLLH. I was impressed that with such a small company, it had the fighting spirit to rival any of the giants. They didn't need flashy uniforms, large drums, colorful props, loads of funding, and lengthy preparation time to develop that spirit. Somehow, it has been embedded in them. Despite their chances winning against the stronger teams being slim, they still stuck it out, never backing down from the challenge. This spirit was well observed by the competitors that they too cheered them on in their events, even if their teams were competing. "It doesn't matter if we lose, as long as we had fun playing the game."
They taught me that it wasn't winning the game that was important; it was playing it. You wouldn't really understand the feeling of victory if you haven't played the game. You technically did not have to be better than the competition, you just had to be great being who you are. If you understand that early on, no problem can hinder you to become who you want to be. And most of all, nothing can replace the power of a fighting spirit: it picks up a wounded man after every fall, it gives strength to a mother to deliver her child, it inspires the weary traveler to continue on the journey.
As the events ended, I couldn't help but smile. The results were now irrelevant. For me, I knew who the real champions were, and I didn't need to see the medals to convince me otherwise.
