Men are Dumb

Competitiveness

Why must most men compete at everything? Why do we feel the need to be better than the next man? I'll be the first to admit it. "Hello, my name is Carlos and I am addicted to competition".

Let's go back a few hours (Irritating Sounds of a Time Machine culminating with a Keanu Reeves type "Whoa").

OK, welcome to Monday, August 25th. The time. 4:00pm EST. The place. Bally's Gym. (Let's do this in 3rd person just for fun...lol)

Carlos enters the gym, confidence peaking with the anticipation of a good workout is quickly shot down when he walks over to a bench press machine used by a woman half his size lifting more than he could dream. Undaunted he quickly switches routines to his trusty plan B. The back workout routine. Carlos pulls up next to a lateral pull down machine and selects his weight. 115 pounds. He eyes the machine, drops his towel and goes to work. The sounds of some 80's one hit wonder bands fills the gym as Carlos is wrapping up his second set and is interrupted by a tap on his shoulder.

"Cut in while your using a machine guy" asks Carlos if he can work-in. Always trying to be an accommodating gym goer Carlos says, "Yeah sure, do you want me to drop the weight?" As if stunned by Carlos' statement "Mr Cut-In" says, "Nah man, if anything I need to up that weight". With nothing left to say, Carlos says, "Have fun", all the while thinking to himself, "you big dope, you're way skinnier than I am and twice my age, I just hope you don't rip your arm out of socket".

"Mr. Cut-In" takes the weight up to 130 or so pounds and rubs out a set of 10, drops the stack and looks over at Carlos, with a face that says, "Yeah, beat that chump"; "OK then" thinks Carlos. He walks over, drops the stack one more notch to 135 and rubs out his own set of 10. "Mr Cut-In" not to be out done drops the stack one more notch and rubs out 8. Carlos drops the stack one more and barely knocks out 8, some might call it 7 and 3/4 but since this is my story we'll just say it was 8.

Carlos knows he can not go another notch and is just about to walk away when, "ARGH!!!" says "Mr Cut-In". He did something to himself thought Carlos. As he walks over Carlos asks "Mr Cut-In" if he's ok only to be told that he was fine and may have just aggravated an old sports injury. "Mr Cut-In" says he's fine and walks away to go do something else. Cardio thought Carlos or at the very least the sauna or jacuzzi.

(OK, that was fun but now back to me)

So who's fault is this? Mine or "Mr Cut-In" guy? I blame mankind's need for competition. Men proving who's better by acts of physical strength. I was fully involved in the need to prove I was bigger, better, stronger and so was he. He just needed to beat the younger version of himself. Something I think I will get caught into when I'm pushing 50. For me, this all boils down to me and "Mr. Cut-In" forgetting there is a loving God out there who no matter, who comes out stronger, or faster, or bigger, or badder, will loves us both the same. I wanted to win so that I was better than he was. Forgetting that in God's eyes we are equal. I should have loved him in Christ and just set back my weight, turn the other cheek in a sense and let him win. In the end it proved what? It could have been me who pulled something. Next time it might be....next time....I will use better judgement.

God Love You!

Carlos