Random ruminations

Random ruminations while wondering whatever happened to Joe Biddle …

Cuss Away the %$!&! Pain

There was an article in the paper last week about the therapeutic power of expletives. According to a study by Keele University in England, published in the American Journal of Pain, weaving a tapestry of obscenities (like Ralphie’s dad in A Christmas Story) really can relieve pain.

The caveat to that pain relief however is that “persistently profane persons” who weave that tapestry throughout the day don’t experience the same benefit. While some may choose their words a bit more carefully than others, I’ve seen similar studies in the past that said it was really just the emotional release through the words that actually provided the relief.

Like most things, it seems you won’t really get relief unless you express yourself.

Tebow – Live and Let Live

If you have a problem with the way Tim Tebow plays, or you just think he’s not a very good quarterback, fine. If, on the other hand, your problem is with who he is as an openly religious man, that’s a you problem, not a him problem. This is the same Tim Tebow we’ve seen for the last 6 years since he started sharing time at QB with Chris Leak as a freshman at Florida – known then as a running QB, and an open and devout Christian.

Look, we hear people complain all the time about celebrities using the spotlight to bring attention to their causes – tree hugging, gun rights, presidential preferences, whatever. So what. I really can’t consider those things when I’m choosing my entertainment. I figure if I chose my movies, music, books or sports teams by which ones have stars that see things my way, I’ll probably not have entertainment at all.

You’re really only cheating yourself if you weigh those things before deciding who you’ll like and dislike. Besides, the Denver Broncos are a whole lot more interesting with Tebow playing.

It really is a wonderful life

We went to see It’s A Wonderful Life last weekend on the big screen (!) at The Historic Belcourt Theater. It’s one of my Christmastime must-see movies, so seeing it there was a particular treat.

I won’t go into too much detail – if you haven’t seen the movie, you’re really missing out. Anyway, there’s a part at the beginning where they send for Clarence (a long-passed-over angel still waiting to get his wings) to brief him on how to help George Bailey, and Clarence asks, “Is he sick?” and the answer is “No, worse. He’s discouraged.”

When I heard that line (for probably the hundredth time or better) I thought, “Isn’t that the truth!” Few things can negatively impact our lives like being discouraged. Being discouraged really is worse than being sick – it can really take its toll both mentally and physically. At least when you’re sick you have reasonable expectations about the recovery time; you never know how long you’ll be discouraged. And it’s the same in our personal lives as it is in our work: Being discouraged prevents us from being our best.

In order to do our best work, we have to be motivated, and discouragement beats down our motivation – it’s the first cousin of frustration. One leads to the other and vice versa. No matter where you fall in the hierarchy of the organization, you can have a positive impact. If you have to, you can wage a personal fight against discouragement and frustration, and that translates not only into a happier you, but a more productive you too. I’d wager it’d have a positive impact on those with whom you have contact on a daily basis as well.

Like George Bailey, we may not realize it, but our lives touch many other lives. What we do and how we do it isn’t just our own business – it’s the business of those around us as well. We all have bad days from time to time and it’s much easier to get past those days when we have positive interactions with those around us. Oftentimes it’s as simple as a smile, but it makes a difference. Don’t underestimate your impact on the lives of others – maximize it. How wonderful it is is largely up to us.

Merry Christmas. Happy Hanukkah. Happy holidays!

(George Biddle is a longtime sports columnist and sports radio guy in Nashville. He used to write a column on Sundays with that Random Ruminations header. I miss that column.)