Two weeks ago my family and I sat in our living room together and watched the ESPY awards, which honors excellence in sports. The highlight of the evening for me was when Robin Roberts received the ‘Arthur Ashe Courage’ award. Robin was the first African American woman to become a sportscaster with ESPN. After 15 years, she accepted the opportunity to challenge herself by joining the Good Morning America team to report the news.
When hurricane Katrina hit her hometown in Mississippi, she was personally touched by this tragedy. Although reporters are not supposed to show emotion, as she was on location, she couldn’t hold back the tears. She was sure she’d be fired, but the viewers were touched by her emotion and embraced her.
Two years later, Robin was diagnosed with breast cancer. She did not retreat, but instead chose to share her entire journey, fighting breast cancer, with the public. If that wasn’t enough, last year she underwent a bone marrow transplant to treat a rare blood disorder that was caused by her cancer treatments. Again, she made her battle public, and allowed the viewers to experience her treatment with her, even in her darkest hours.
Robin wasn’t courageous for battling cancer and a blood disorder. Fighting for one’s life is human nature, something we would all do if faced with that challenge. Robin was courageous for sharing her journey with the world. She brought us into her hospital room and the treatment center, exposing her good days and her bad ones. She allowed us to see her at her weakest, most vulnerable places both physically and emotionally. Every emotion she experienced, we experienced right along side her.
Robin didn’t receive this award for what she did, for her accomplishments. She was recognized for who she is. Robin Roberts received this award for her courage to be AUTHENTIC! To be real, to be genuine, to not hide from the truth. People are not inspired by perfection, they are inspired by authenticity.
Arthur Ashe once told Robin that ‘if all people say about you is that you were a heck of a journalist, then you haven’t fulfilled your potential’. Robin bared her soul for all the world to see in the hopes that it would make a difference, and it has. She has made a greater single impact on the bone marrow registry than anyone.
I’ve lived much of my life believing that my self worth was based on my accomplishments. I’ve given that up for a new belief that it’s all about the relationships, the connections, the contributions we can make to each other! When we choose to be authentic, to tell the ugly truth instead of hiding behind the pretty lie, we connect with people on a deeper level and in turn give them a safe place to be authentic too.
People will forget what you said.
People will forget what you did.
But people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou
Go out in the world and be AUTHENTIC – it will impact the way you make people feel!
with Joy & Gratitude,
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