Sign Up for The Team of WE Today!

Growing up as a nerdy bookworm, I was allergic to organized sports and most physical activities. I didn’t like anything thrown at me, I wasn’t very fond of running, and certainly did not like to get dirty for no reason. I feel no shame about convincing my sister-mommy Diane to write several notes to my gym teachers over the years about my “conditions.” (Diane, the note you penned in 10th grade about my “severe reaction” to chlorinated pool water was BRILLANT. You helped me skip three weeks of swimming classes. LOL!). While I have been pretty successful at avoiding organized sports most of my life, I recently discovered the joy of getting on the court and joining the team of WE.

About a week ago, I took a mind-blowing empowerment class that helped me to really recognize that my life is truly not about me; I discovered that my life means NOTHING unless I am dedicated to taking a selfless stand for EVERY person in the world EVERY day. Tall order, eh? Little did I know that I and four other members in my class would get a crash course on what it means to stand for another person at the end of our Sunday night session. Let me set the scene.

It was just after midnight on the third day of our course. My classmates and I had just completed three days of intense, life-changing, 14-hour conversations. We were tired, hungry, and emotionally spent. Five of my comrades and I were gratefully walking out of the building on the way home. Then, one of our classmates approached us and told us that she would not be returning to complete the last part of our course on Tuesday. I’ve never seen five people get so enraged so quickly. We immediately rallied around her and used every strategy we could think of to get her to stay. There was yelling, laughter, frustration, some crying, some Salsa dancing, a breakout of Doritos and pretzel sticks, and a desperate call to a husband that a wife would be home eventually. Before we knew it, it was 2:45 a.m. (!!!!). We didn’t know if our classmate would show up on Tuesday, but we all knew that we learned a powerful lesson about standing and supporting another person. It was in that moment that I got off of the Team of ME and got on the Team of WE.

Folks, we don’t live on this planet by ourselves. We NEED each other to survive. If I accumulate massive wealth, it doesn’t mean anything if there are still homeless people in my neighborhood struggling to survive. I can’t boast about how wonderful my life is if my sister or brother is hurt or in pain. Life is about being an active member of the Team of WE. I realized during my stand for my classmate, whom I had just met three days prior, that I needed to take a stronger stand for my family, friends, and coworkers, many of whom I have known for most of my life. I am now FIERCLY dedicated to playing on the Team of WE. I look forward to getting dirty, grimy, and sweaty in order to stand for someone’s life. The Team of ME is exhausting and limiting; the Team of WE is invigorating and inspiring. Some members on the team of WE are tougher to fight for than others, but the game is SO worth it.

When I got to work on Monday, I was BEYOND tired. But, when one of my friends called me at 3:00 p.m. and told me that my classmate would be showing up on Tuesday, and then, when I actually saw her the following day, my heart was OVERFLOWING with love and energy that I can’t describe. I couldn’t stop hugging her and thanking God that my small role on the Team of WE helped another person reach her goal.

Are you signed up for the Team of WE? If not, make sure you show up on the field today!

(A HUGE shout out to the members of the super, duper, deluxe, late-night edition of the Advanced Course. I LOVE you guys SO much! And I love the rest of you guys who got proper rest that night, too. LOL!)