So the warden turns to one of the men and asks “Do you have any last requests?” The prisoner responds “I do actually. I love Justin Bieber music. Could you please play just one of his songs before you flick the switch?” “Certainly,” replied the warden. Then the warden asks the other condemned man “And you; what is your final request?”  “Please” begs the second man “Kill me first!”

I feel I can relate to this story.  The “Justin Bieber” of the pop music world in my boyhood was probably George Michael, and yet, he was my favourite pop star. He’s still producing music and I still think he’s great. However, I have slowly come to terms with the fact not everybody likes his music. 

I guess we all have different opinions, different likes and dislikes on many things, because we are all different people. Imagine a garden where every flower was a red rose. Red roses may be very beautiful, perhaps the most beautiful of all flowers, but that would be a very plain and boring garden. Surely a much more attractive garden would have a variety of flowers of different shapes, sizes and colours. They are all different, but they are all good. In the garden we live in called society, many different types of people bring out the best in all of us. However, being different can sometimes cause friction. Sometimes you may find yourself being ridiculed, even attacked by people who disagree with you. In their eyes, they look at you and think, “Now why can’t you be reasonable and see things my way?” People are going to disagree with you and that’s OK, so long as  you do not let the criticism get to you and turn you away from doing  what you know to be the right thing to do. 

One of my favourite writers is  Paul J Meyer who became very successful at a very young age. In his way to the top he was absolutely amazed that well-meaning family members, friends, and associates constantly fed him negative ideas and suggestions of what could or could not be done. 

Once in a city there was a competition to climb a tall building. No  climber was allowed to use any ropes, harnesses, or instruments except their own hands and feet. Whoever got to the top of the building first was the winner. Ten experienced climbers began to climb. A huge crowd gathering on the ground outside the building,  began shouting out well-meaning  advice: “Get down from there you pack of idiots,” one person shouted. Another called out “You’re  going to fall and break your neck!” and as they said this one of the climbers did fall. Even people inside the building offered such advice as “Give it up, you losers!”  In the end, they all either fell or quit the climb, except one climber. When he got to the top he was met by a small crowd, including his wife and the media. The successful climber’s wife hugged and kissed him as a journalist asked him “What’s it like to be the only climber to have made it?”  The climber’s wife answered for him “I’m sorry buddy! My darling can’t hear a word you’re saying. He’s deaf!” 

Of course, not all deaf climbers are successful. Did you hear about the deaf and dumb climber who fell off the cliff? Apparently he screamed his fingers off. 

Seriously, sometimes we need to be like a deaf climber who doesn’t hear the crowd. Perhaps at times our differences are jealousies or perhaps just misunderstandings.

If you are honest with yourself, don’t worry what the crowd  screams. They’re in the grandstand of your life, you’re on the field, and you have the ball.