There’s a “take away” from each new bucket list experience. I either learn something new or am reminded of some kind of life lesson. When I drove an Indy-style race car at Fontana Race Track and reached the speed of 132 mph, I was reminded of the importance of focusing on the task at hand. When I flew on a jetpack I learned that minor adjustments sometimes make the difference between flying high or crashing. Sometimes the lessons are pretty obvious, but sometimes they take you by surprise.
Earlier this year I was able to cross-off a bucket list goal by meeting former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. He was performing his one man show, “The Undisputed Truth” at The Grove in Anaheim. I’m a boxing fan and back in the 80’s and 90’s a Tyson fight wasn’t just a fight, it was an event that drew all my friends together at someone‘s house the way only a Super Bowl can. Back then Tyson was larger than life. On fight nights you could feel the excitement in the room mainly because he was so tough, and so unpredictable (Evander Holyfield’s ear will back me up on that one). So it should have come as no surprise that I was surprised by Mike Tyson.
I expected to hear detailed stories of the sweet science from the youngest heavyweight champion in the history of boxing. I anticipated blow-by-blow accounts of Buster Douglass and Hurricane Peter McNeeley, but my take away that night turned out to be much deeper than just tales from inside the squared circle.
Tyson walked us through an emotional journey in his attempt to become more vulnerable and open to the gift of love. He left the stage to the lyrics of Nat King Cole’s song Nature Boy, “the greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return.”
After the show I paid for a meet & greet with Iron Mike where I believe my actions may have reminded him of the words he had just spoken. When it was my turn for a photo-op I gave him a copy of my book which he had difficulty in accepting. He oddly repeated the book’s subtitle a few times instead of just simply saying thanks for the gift. It was such a strange exchange, such an awkward moment, that I really had the feeling that no one had ever given him a gift before.
On the way home I remembered that he’d just spent an hour-and-a-half on stage talking about taking things from people and people taking things from him. Who knows, maybe nobody had ever just given him a gesture of love and friendship without expecting anything in return. Being able to accept all of life’s gifts was my reminder and take away from my encounter with Mike Tyson.
At this time of year there’s always talk about the joy of giving, but rarely do you hear about being a worthy receiver of gifts. So this Christmas season, remember to be a joyful giver, but also be an open and worthy receiver of the gifts of love, friendship, and all that life has to offer (or I‘ll sick my new pal Mike Tyson on you!)
