Who do you compare to?

I like the below quote because it reminds us that we don't have to compete with others for stature, recognition or triumph. We are all the children of God, equally bestowed with value and worth. We do not look better by putting ourselves above another but by living up to our spiritual individuality in the first place.

The truth is that there is nothing noble in being superior to somebody else. The only real nobility is in being superior to your former self.

~ Whitney Young

Keep score of the best times

Last weekend, I went with my family to Federal Way to watch my daughter swim in the Washington State swimming championships.

She qualified in four events, which was quite an accomplishment—the 50 and 100 meter single freestyle, plus the 200 and 400 freestyle relay.

Her goal at the beginning of the season was to place at the state level in one single event, so to place in two singles, plus two relays, was a major thrill for her and her teammates. They felt like winners before they arrived, and rightfully so.

I have much to learn about swimming competition, but one record keeping practice caught my attention this weekend like never before.

To place at the state level, a swimmer must beat predetermined times during the meets they compete at in the three months preceding the state competition. Once they get a state time at a local or district meet, they are in. It doesn’t matter if times at succeeding meets are worse. The good time they achieved stays locked into their record until they better it.

I pondered the value of adopting this practice of keeping track of the best score with all aspects of life.

How many of us keep track and record in thought only the best times we have?

Do we remember the best things our spouse said to us? Do we remember only the compliments and praise that came from our boss? Do we mentally lock onto only the happy times of our past?

Or, do we break the rule of “cling to your best time,” and dwell on the mean things other people said, or the weak moments when our spouse uttered a scouring word, or a time of failing we wished had never happened?

I’ve learned from watching my daughter swim.

When she gets a bad time, she looks me in the eye and says, “It doesn’t matter dad. I already beat it in the past. Only my good time counts.” She doesn’t fret and fume over the failures. She focuses only on besting her best time. And that’s where she puts all her time, energy and attention.

Isn’t there a metaphysical lesson here for us all?

Our whole thought, time and attention should be focused on besting our best time too. We should not waste one milli-second moaning or despairing over the bad times. They don’t matter. It’s the best time that counts.

And the best time, from a spiritual point of view, is the record established in divine Mind by God.

God created us perfect, with a whole, complete, happy and healthy Life to express and fulfill. This Life is the best, and anything less is not worthy of attention, time or energy.

Soooo, keep track of the best times, not the worse times. Don’t be a hard drive for error. Focus on the good and only the good, and your best times will be replaced by even better times.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, my daughter made it to consolations in all events. She did well, and looks forward to besting her times for next year.

No DQs in Spirit

This has been an exciting week for my daughter. A member of her high school swim team, she made it all the way to the State competition this year, which is very significant, I’m told, for a tenth grader to achieve.

Yesterday, the family and I drove up to Seattle to watch her in the prelims, and during one of the two relays they competetd in, her team got DQd. No I’m not talking about getting a gift certificate to a Dairy Queen restaurant. In swimming parlance, it stands for "disqualified." If a swimmer doesn’t touch the end of the pool, jumps into the water too soon, or fails to follow some other rule, they get DQd. They are bumped from the race.

After the DQ was announced, everyone in the stands was in a dither about what had happened. All the work the girls had put into preparing for the race, and in one millisecond of a slip-up by one of the team members, the whole race was forfeited. In many ways, it seemed unfair. I wasn’t sure how Jenna was taking the news.

After the meet was finished I went down to the edge of the stands and hollered down to Jenna who was in the swimmers section and asked her what had happened. She smiled, cheerful as can be to just be there, shrugged her shoulders and said in a light-hearted way, “One of the members got DQd.”

Well, I knew that.

“Why?” I asked.

She said one of the girls jumped too soon, didn’t know who, knew it wasn’t her, and it didn’t really matter anyway.” She was filled with joy, cheer and love to just be there.

I mentally stepped back to absorb the freedom from concern I saw in her.

The biggest time meet ever she had been in, a DQ which can be a heartbreak for many, and she wasn’t the least bit bothered. All was well as far as she was concerned. She ticked off all the progress the team had made that day and did not dwell on anything negative.

I was impressed! Of course, she’s my daughter, and it’s hard not to be. But honestly, I was so grateful she had her spiritual perspective intact.

There are no DQs in Spirit, I concluded. Jenna was in the true spirit of competition, which is one of selfless giving, not selfish getting, and the presence of Spirit was reflected through her. She was not bummed, upset, or even slightly irritated. She was happy as could be.

My wife and I have many times impressed upon our kids, or at least tried to, what constitutes real winning. It’s not trophies, awards, and medals that signify success. It’s a right attitude, a spiritual attitude that is always grateful, looking for the good, striving to improve and rejoicing in the progress. When one has the right spiritual perspective, winning and losing materially is not the important thing. Winning is increased spiritual mindedness. I saw these qualities in Jenna yesterday, and I was grateful.

The girls got DQd on the 400 freestyle relay, but did well on their 200 freestlye, placing 5th out of 24 teams. Today they compete in the finals, the grand finale of the State meet. And I will be there mid-day to watch.

And more than anything, I’ll be on watch for the same Spirit I saw yesterday. It’s always win-win with Spirit, and there is no better way to compete.