| And School Sure, soldiers got free tuition, but apparently at that time, schools had quotas for how many people of color they would take, so 1.2 million black and brown soldiers trying to fit into 2 allotted spaces per college / university (I'm paraphrasing the actual numbers because I can't remember what Irving said) means a lot of black and brown soldiers came home as heroes for serving their country and helping to end a war against oppression only to be oppressed by their own country again. Good enough to risk your life, but not good enough to make a better life. Ouch.
No higher education. No home / place to live. Pretty tough to get ahead after war compared to what Debby Irvings' father and family experienced. I almost think its easier to be an immigrant like my Portuguese elders were, and make it than be born here under policy circumstances like the "blacks and browns" faced and still face.
Then to top it off, Irving said, she grew up in a time, when it was taboo to talk about difficult subjects like race, politics, religion, and if you did you were labeled as a "pot stirrer", so when she was faced with real life situations of difficult conversations, she had no social or communication skills so she cowered behind, "I'm a good person", which is pretty insulting to people who didn't grow up with privilege (I didn't know what was wrong with that either).
Last, since no one talks about this, gets shamed by trying to talk about it and get labeled as "a pot stirrer", this inequity can easily continue for generations. Wow. Talk about control.
My moms' dad is white (French Canadian, with a splash of Native American). My moms, mom is 100% Japanese. My Pepe, met her, while stationed in Okinawa, Japan, during the Korean War, fell in love, got married, and brought her back to Massachusetts, where she faced immense racism, didn't speak a lick of English, and birthed 8 children, while working the night shift at the local mills.
My dad, was born in Portugal to Portuguese parents. They lived in stone huts, in a tiny village, that would make the North End streets, look like Manhattan, where you had 2 outfits, your everyday outfit and your Christmas outfit. They'd sleep above the cattle and sometimes with the cattle so they wouldn't become prey to the wolves nearby. They lived off the land. And when things got tough my grandparents would rent out their sons to other farmers to be able to provide for the family. Ultimately they weren't making it, so they came to America. Worked in the mills 70-80 hours a week and made it. My aunts and uncles bought duplexes and/or went to college and meritocracy is working for them and their offspring.
Vanessa tells me Vanessa, my wife, is a Registered Dietician and specializes in eating disorders and she tells me its something similar for her patients, in that mentally and emotionally they feel trapped by images, media, words, and its hard for them to ever get ahead, recover and make progress. That the system almost controls them so its difficult to make progress.
Conversations with kids I don't know about you, but this sure is a difficult subject to write about, so Irving is definitely right on that one. I guess this whole subject was a way for us parents in attendance to be able to talk to our kids about the different things they'll face and the different privileges and opportunities that are out there.
Worst to First I have tremendous empathy for others, a strong desire to learn the truth and a passion to get better. I love the Cinderella story in college basketballs' March Madness. I love rooting for the underdogs and the "us against the world" mantra the Patriots used to use, until the Philadelphia Eagles took it and used it against them and won. I love the hope that comes from both of those. I love the hope that comes from the phrase worst to first. I don't have the answers, but I know for sure, when you're fired up about something you can make change happen a lot faster and when it comes to changing your life, if you have that kind of passion burning combined with direction, good things will happen for you and fast.
Passion = Accelerated Change
I love sports dramas because I loved playing sports, so it's relatable for me. I love how it moves me emotionally. I think that's what makes me so competitive and has helped me be successful in things I pursue. Emotion. Passion. It gives me juice and stokes my fire.
Find your emotional passion. What are you sick and tired of? What are you frustrated with? What can't you stand anymore? Do you want to tell yourself the same story again next year? Do you want to have the same goals next year or are your ready for new goals? What makes you mad? What makes you sad? What pisses you off? What gets you going? What inspires you? What gives you hope?
My Emotional Passions These are things that moved me emotionally, throughout my life to take massive action.
I wanted to start. I wanted to make Varsity. I wanted to be in the smart class. I didn't want to have to finish spring cleaning my walls. I wanted to make the All-Star team. I wanted to make the AAU team. I wanted to wear that gold ribbon at graduation. I didn't want to be skinny anymore. I didn't want to get knocked down anymore. I didn't want to be afraid of getting beat up anymore. I wanted self confidence to ask the pretty girls out. I wanted / want to look good in my clothes. I wanted to win and compete better in sports. I wanted to be faster and stronger. I wanted to win the race. I didn't want to borrow from the future to pay for today anymore. I wanted to be the #1 trainer in Boston. I wanted to be the #1 trainer in TSI. I didn't want to be told no anymore by bosses. I didn't want to be held back by red tape anymore.
I wanted to create a team and a program that fixed all the problems that held people back.
I wanted / want my parents, family, coaches, teammates to be proud of me. I didn't want to let my brother, cousin or parents down. I didn't want to feel so hungry or without money anymore. I wanted to meet that girl, before I talked my self out of it. I don't want to say goodbye anymore. I want to learn from all the goodbyes I've said in such a short time and make changes. I don't want to miss workouts anymore. I want to do cool things with and for my family.
I want to make it on my own (which is a little bit of a fallacy, because there's an ever growing list of people who help me). I want to prove my doubters wrong (F' U, I'll show you). This one makes me tear up.
Just like in sports, use whatever moves you to motivate you.
Thinking about my emotional passions,
Coach Mike
p.s. what is your emotional passion? | 
