Recently, I was watching a rerun of Grey’s Anatomy on Lifetime (as I always do form 2 to 4 pm in the summer on weekdays). This particular episode was ‘The Time Warp’. If any of you watch Grey’s Anatomy like I do then maybe you remember this episode from 2010. In the episode, Derek Shepherd (as chief) decides to have a day where Richard, Miranda, and Callie give speeches in front of the hospital staff as part of the lecture series returning. They talk about what changed them as surgeons; when they knew they would be exceptional. This included talking and flashback reenactments.
During Bailey’s flashback of her first few days as an intern at Seattle Grace, a particular statement about a shark and a minnow was made that really got my attention and pulled me in. It was: “I was not raised to be a shark. Does that make me a minnow? Am I a minnow? I’m a minnow. Not because of my height, because I’m a minnow on the inside.” You may ask what about this sentence got my attention. What was so important about this scene? Well, I’ll tell you.
Sometimes, I get told I can’t do something or that I’m not good enough. That I just don’t have what it takes. More times than not by someone I talk to at least weekly, if not more. Although at the moment I get aggravated and generally feel like punching them in the face, it’s really my confidence and determination that takes a beating (insert crying in a corner here). That’s what I thought about as this scene played out. I had to ask myself, “Am I a minnow?” Is that how everyone sees me? As a minnow? I don’t know. Should they?
Maybe. Maybe they should, but knowing myself, I know there is no way that I won’t try and prove them wrong. They don’t know me. Okay, while they know me they don’t know me. Understand? Everybody has a dream or idea for their future. Why should I let someone else choose mine for me? Why would I? While they don’t think I can do something, have the talent, or amount to much, I will show them just what they don’t expect. The unexpected.
Then, as I’m typing this, 'Fix You' by Coldplay came on my Pandora. If you know this song then that’s really great for you because I know that now I will be pressing the replay button until I know all the words. With a first line of ‘When you do your best, but you don’t succeed’ this is exactly how I feel now and as I watched Grey’s earlier. I don’t have to be a minnow. I can be a shark whether everyone else believe I can be or not. I have a choice. So do you. So did Bailey’s character.
So now as I sit here with the remanence of “Am I a minnow?” on the back of my hand, I challenge you to do the same. Make a choice. To be a minnow or not to be. To be a shark. Don’t let someone else influence you and beat you down physically or emotionally. Try your best and if you don’t succeed, try again. You have nothing to lose. But, if you let someone intimidate you and tell you you aren’t good enough, you’ll have everything to lose. Now, I encourage you to go watch the clip for the “Am I a minnow?” scene from Grey’s Anatomy and listen to 'Fix You' by Coldplay. Links are below. :)
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