December 20th, 2006 by Brent Johnson
The latest (and theoretically last) installment in the Rocky saga opens today. In a recent interview, Sylvester Stallone indicated that, in part, he wanted to make this film as an apology for Rocky V. (Personally, I’d be willing to get my money back, with 16 years interest at credit card rates, of course.) But whether this film is a winner or a flop, I owe the inspiration for today’s post to the Italian Stallion.
Recently, I re-watched Rocky IV and was surprised to catch a nugget of wisdom. Before leaving for Russia, Rocky is talking with his son and says:
“Going one more round when you don’t think you can, that’s what makes all the difference in your life.”
Unfortunately, life occasionally knocks us to the ground. Whether it be illness, divorce, loss of employment, loss of friendship, or countless other things large or small, sadness and hurt come into our lives. But when we get back up and face our challenges, so often, we come out stronger and wiser. My encouragement to you today would be–go farther than you think you can; go one more round. In most instances (I’d even be willing to bet that in ALL instances), you’ll likely find hidden reserves of strength that you didn’t know you had.
And as someone who grew up in the Rocky era, kneeling at the side of my bed after seeing Rocky II and punching my mattress while pretending that I was fighting Apollo Creed, here’s to hoping that Rocky Balboa wins–not in the movie (that’s a foregone conclusion anyway, right?), but at the box office. Stallone’s taking a risk making this film, and I prefer to cheer for the risk-takers out there (after all, I hope they’re cheering for me as well).
Posted in Uncategorized |