IT IS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE

When it came to dishing out the sports related physical punishment Mekkar didn’t hold back. He didn’t realize it at the time but he should have played smarter when he was younger. Mekkar surely does understand his folly now as his body is crippled and falling apart. Some days it is a chore just to get out of bed for the day. He knew the risks and accepted willingly blaming no one else but himself.

It is too bad he didn’t listen to others who had told him through their own past experiences about the possible end physical results. Mekkar now wishes he could have perceived or viewed the consequences of this harsh lesson and learned them sooner. He now attributes it as being young and the thought process that it will not happen to you. As the paraphrased saying goes, “Those who do not learn from past history are doomed to repeat it (and its past mistakes).” [Edmund Burke, 1729-1797] or something to that effect, according to Mekkar.

Sirga told Mekkar flat to his face on more than one occasion, “No matter how much you give, you always receive more in return. That is because there is only one of you and so many more of them ready to return the favor.” This statement, or some variation of it, had been passed down to Sirga by her mama and through her lineage. Sirga applied this piece of wisdom to her oldest son in regard to a physical state. Yet, of course the young Mekkar did not take it to heart nor apply the message into his play on the ice.

There is a similar adage used during the Christmas season – It is better to give than to receive. Mekkar preferred this application instead. It showed itself to be especially true when he would throw his body around on the ice and wipe opposing players out with hard body checks of all types.

Still Mekkar, like most other teenagers, are prone to do blow off much of the advice and sage wisdom given to him by the adults. Mainly because he thought it was so old school thinking and that times had changed. Similar to many individuals that are growing into eventual adulthood, Mekkar thought he knew better. Young people in this stage of life tend to think they know it all and more than anyone else. Plus, Mekkar felt that no parent or relative could relate to him during this time with regard to his own life and his own chosen direction for it. There is the tendency to forget that all adults have already gone through those things beforehand and made it through.

The result usually is that the youthful person has to stubbornly learn various lessons in life the painful hard way and Mekkar eventually did as well. Yes, Mekkar would find out that when he thinks he knows it all, that attitude will soon make him look foolish in reality. It does happen when life kicks him around a bit and humbles him through tough circumstances. These trials and tests would come about sooner than he ever imagined. Then, finally the boy would become a man by gaining the required life instruction to go on to the next set of tasks.