Boom Boom! Revolution

Before you read this, watch the video below. Seriously. It will be just 2 minutes and 9 seconds out of your life and, I guarantee, you’ll smile for longer than that after you watch it. Plus, the rest of this blog won’t make sense if you don’t. This was caught on the Jumbotron at a Celtics game a couple of weeks ago (lucky for all of us).

How great is this kid? I simply cannot get enough of him. I have watched this more times than I can count and I laugh and smile every time I see it. I send it to everyone I know. I think it’s profound.

So last week, when I told yet another person about it and made them watch it (which they did reluctantly), and they seemed unmoved and actually asked why I was so passionate about it, I have to say, it gave me pause. First, because I was stunned that this person was unresponsive to something I considered so clearly significant and, second, because while I had been pushing this video on everyone I knew, I never thought for one second about the reason why. I guess I felt its value and appeal were obvious. And yet, when I was asked to actually articulate my reasons for loving it, I could not. At least not immediately. As I am prone to do, I thought a lot about it and have since come to this conclusion:

This video is a testament to human potential.

I know. Lofty praise for something so arguably inane. I’ll explain.

If you watch this video again (and I recommend that you do), on your second viewing observe how, in this moment, almost every person there is exemplifying, to some degree, the very best of who we, as a human race, have the capacity to be.

For instance, in watching this video, you’ll notice that, while it definitely focuses on this kid, it is not just about this kid. Watch the people around him. They are happy he’s there. They are supporting him and genuinely thrilled to be a part of this blip on the joy radar. They might not get him or what he’s doing…but they don’t care. Most of the people he hugs, kisses or grabs hands with, are right there for him, laughing, smiling, adding to the experience and supporting him. In fact, it’s partly these folks that make this video so compelling. Those people feed him, cheer for him and let him know that they are there to both witness and revel in his elation.

Each of us should be so lucky as to have this kind of support in our lives, eh? Who among us couldn’t use a cheering section that stands solidly and enthusiastically behind us as we embark on that crazy thing we want to do? We all need those people who remain steadfast in their belief of who we are…even when they don’t understand, even when they aren’t quite sure if it will work, even when it might look like we are on the brink of failure. And, here’s the great part, if we do fail, these people are still there. Not only do we all need that in our lives, we also need to be that for others. The truth is we all have the potential to offer that kind of relentless dedication to those around us, but how often do we actually do it?

It takes a lot of effort to support someone. It often means we need to let go of what we want for them or what we thought was best. It might mean we have to do something we aren’t crazy about doing. It might mean we have to be willing to look silly or foolish. All of that can be hard. Sometimes it’s just easier to walk away and say, “You’re nuts. Come back when you’ve regained your sanity.” The potential for human beings to believe in and support each other is immense and, I believe, largely untapped. Sometimes we don’t need to understand, we just need to be there.

Here’s something else I noticed about this video, there is no doubt this guy is living his moment and reveling in it. He owns every move, every expression, every word. This is HIS time and he is not going to miss a single opportunity to grasp it. That’s cool. But, what’s cooler is that, if you really watch, while he is living his moment, he is also bringing everyone along with him! He is making sure this moment is not just about him. He is literally reaching out and asking others to join him in this experience because, well, it’s good. His enthusiasm, his joy, his obvious elation at hearing what we can only assume is his favorite song (at least I hope it is; I shudder to think what would happen if there’s another song he likes more than this) is contagious. And most people cannot resist grabbing their little piece and being a part of it.

Ultimately, life is best when shared and people are at their best when they feel they belong. It’s that simple. Bring people in. Include them. Allow them to be a part of your world. Be a part of theirs. As human beings we need it. We crave it. And, if we allow it, we are very, very good at it. It’s as fundamental as air. And, ultimately, like air, it is essential to the survival of our species. We HAVE to connect to each other.

Now, that’s not to say that there might be someone out there who wants to rain on our parade. Like the Dude in the Light Blue Shirt who literally shoos our performer away when he tries to engage him. Did you see it? It’s near the end and it happened so fast, you might have missed it, but it’s there. Did you see this kid’s reaction? He was absolutely unfazed. It’s as if the Dude in the Light Blue Shirt gave him the same response as everyone else. Not only did our young fan just keep dancing his dance, it also didn’t stop him from continuing to reach out and encourage others to join him. He did not let the Dude in the Light Blue Shirt make him feel stupid and he did not let the interaction change his behavior or belief in what he was doing. He kept on being him and doing what he knew was, at that moment, the right thing to do.

If we really want to, we can live our truth. And if we live our truth, nothing else matters. We have the potential to be as authentically us as we choose, regardless of what people think or say. And if we do, as our young fan proves, we can live in more joy than we thought possible. It’s when we let the “slings and arrows” of whatever tries to rain on our parade hit us, that we immediately cease to live to the potential we have and, thus, the world is diminished because it does not get the whole of us. It gets the version we are trying to create for everyone else. And that’s not going to cut it.

But here’s what will:

Be a genuine support for someone. Let someone support you. Connect with others. Live your truth. Be authentically you.

No matter what.

Boom Boom!