Maturity and Intimidation (by THE DISCIPLE)

Maturity and Intimidation.

Sorry friends, no old Greek or Latin for our heading today.

I will rather look at two words that are used by everyday people in everyday situation. I am an everyday person and live in everyday situations, so I most certainly am aware of these two emotions.

They are emotions that we know the meaning of, but we don’t know the feelings that are attached to those emotions.

As humans, we are unique. We are unique in look and appearance as well as mannerisms and tendencies. We are different from anyone else in the entire world. No matter what similar clothes we may wear or what music we may listen to, there is no one exactly like us.

Therefore, to try and measure the reasoning for another person is nearly impossible. Not nearly; but certainly impossible.

There are ups and downs with people. People could be having good days or bad days. No one is ever a blank slate. You do not encounter a perfectly rational person in your existence.

Someone may be very happy and therefore anything that happens will be ok. Someone could be pessimistic and no matter how much good you try to will into them, it will be for a lost cause.

This is perspective.

This is life.

People do not like to lose control on their lives. They do not want to feel helpless and to the point that they can not do an action even when they try. Once you lose confidence in yourself to that extent, you begin to go down the slippery slope of depression.

You can not forcefully make someone mature. You can not tell them how to do it or what to do about it. You can not adjust the actions of any other being on this planet other than yourself. You may try and think it is working, but it never does.

You will be fooling yourself.

People need to lose the intimidation of the unknown and go forward. They need to stop dwelling in the past and look forward to the future. They can not grow into what they see themselves without struggling and facing incredibly difficult challenges.

This is the battle we will see on Sunday.

This is the battle that will happen between the lines in Glendale.

We will see the mighty Super Bowl Champion Giants (fittingly ironic for this discussion), against our Red Birds of Nation.

The Giants have the superior team.

The Giants have the athletes. They have the record. They have the title. They have the experience. They are better on both sides of the ball.

If you were to look at the game objectively, which I can not do, it would appear that the Giants should continue their roll and make the Cardinals just another bullet on their resume for this year.

Enter the Nation. Enter the other side of the coin. Enter the fact that the Cardinals have not lost at home this year and are marching to a 7 game home winning streak.

Enter emotion.

As stated earlier, when you think of the words that are linked with emotion you understand what they mean. But, until it happens you can never truly tell how it will respond in a person.

The Cardinals are a very young team lead by a very weathered leader. They have players that have never experienced the success the team is this year, in their entire career. They have a newer coach who is learning how to win games for his team as the season moves along. They are now being mentioned as one of the best teams in the league, yet have not been truly challenged.

Until this week.

This week will prove to be that test that the team has been looking for. It is that test that we face when we hit that crossroads. That test that seems insurmountable and causes you to mature much quicker then you ever thought possible.

You never know your true strength or patience until you are faced with a situation that you can not defeat with logic. When you hit that test that causes your mind to shut down and the logic to be removed and you act solely on adrenaline, that’s when maturity happens.

It doesn’t happen with what degrees you have or how much money you have. It happens with your inner character and what happens when you are challenged by the outside and challenge yourself.

A person’s character is best understood by the company that person keeps. Think of that the next time you wonder about your stance and direction.

This is the question the Cardinals need to ask themselves. How can they react to the emotions involved with success and challenge?

How do they respond to their friends around the top of the food chain of the NFL?

Will they lose their immaturity and grow up to the task at hand?

Or, will they be intimidated by the moment and repeal themselves back to the mediocre center because it is comfortable?

When placed in a desperate time, any outcome is possible.

Now, ask yourself, are you acting as mature as you know you are in your heart and mind, or are you just playing the fool, hoping that everything will work out without the needed action?

Life’s about perception and perspective my friends, make sure your current one is the accurate one.