8 Seconds

I just watched a movie called "8 Seconds" that starred Luke Perry as Lane Frost and Stephen Baldwin as Tuff Hedeman. It's about a guy named Lane who becomes a National Champion bull rider. He is a typical sweet, southern, country gentleman who isn't like the other cowboys. He marries a girl who gives up everything for him. The guy has repressed issues with his dad who used to be a rider but never makes him feel that he is a good enough son or rider.

I'm crying now just watching the end of it.

Lane dies tragically when a broken rib pierced his heart.

The point of my post is this. Earlier in the movie when Lane's future wife asks him if he's scared of getting hurt he says no. She tells him it's not about if a bull rider gets hurt but how bad it will be when it happens. Lane still responds that he doesn't worry about that. This is the profound moment here for me. When I think about people who consistently participate in dangerous or "reckless" activities like bull riding, boxing, lion taming, etc I always wonder why? what's the point? And when accidents happen no one is ever surprised. So here is what I took away today. When you find something that you love and that you feel you were born to do nothing in this world can substitute for that thing. In order to do that thing to the best of your ability you can't worry about what can go wrong. The actual fear of not succeeding inhibits your ability and can make you more inclined to fail. As I watched the film I felt what it is like to pursue your dream without boundaries. If the time comes that your moment is over, you know that you've lived with no regrets. Lane was only 25 when he died, but he had already made the kind of landmark accomplishments that many spend decades working towards.

Timidity is so evident when your passion (your one thing) is an activity that requires control and protection of your body like in sport. But I'm challenged today to apply this theory to those passions that aren't as easily visible. Any focus on how poorly things could turn out, takes away from my focus on the task at hand. 

What would you do differently if you took that attitude to work? into your relationships? into your friendships?

"It's guts and love and glory,
One mortal's chance at fame.
His legacy is rodeo
And cowboy is his name."

                                  ---from the poem "Cowboy is his Name"

 

It turns out that the movie is biographical. Thanks for sharing your story Lane.

The best is yet to come,
~Adwoa