Teamwork, Change, Family

I am decently proud of being a pretty low maintenance individual. I grew up as an only child, later to have adopted siblings, but for the most part my young life I was fending for myself. I got pretty comfortable this way. This past year has contained a gaggle of life experiences. I have never been so fortunate in such a short period of time. I got married to the love of my life, we came into the wedding hot, and had a beautiful baby girl six months later. For all you math all-stars, this doesn’t compute.

These experiences immediately demand the opposite of an individualized existence. The game now is not just me. There is a bigger picture and it is much more involved. My goals have changed, and effort seems to be the only thing that makes the wheel go round.

Being married is a tremendous change. Sharing bank accounts, changing names, in-laws, having two cars, sharing closets, showers… well, everything. My favorite is when I run out of socks. I have some back ups, of which most of them are colorful which is quite alright with me. Being that person for someone is the best thing ever! To share your life, all the victories, and even the defeats is such a rich experience. Easy? No. Worth it? A resounding “Yes!”

Having a child will change the game, for sure. To have something in your life that takes precedence over even going to the bathroom is an experience. I actually remember my beautiful wife saying she had to pee five hours ago and forgot. What the “F?” How does that even happen? #2 pressure goes away. #1 panic goes no where. When you have a child I guess it does. I have gone from panic to pissed off to laughing to teary eyed and back to calm in two minutes many times. I have been enrolled in a twelve week crash course on a brand new human. Every class is a whole new adventure, and it is the best!

The main thing that this experience has taught me more than any other experience in my life is teamwork. Teamwork without selfish desires. When you see your partner exhausted, it pulls at your heart. We are here to make each others lives better, and when energy is dwindling and patience is running short, the moves become crucial. I have been broken by a very small girl many times at this point, but thankfully my wife has been there to catch the fall. I hope that I can do 1/100th of what she does for me, for her. Being on a team is not always a glory position for each player, but if all players on the team are successful, then all sacrifice is worth the cost. We are stronger because of each other. Never in my life has this been more true. This team, this family, is the greatest gift!

If you have a team in your life, if you have a family in your life (not necessarily a birth family), just people that mean the world to you. DEUCE Gym is a family to me. It’s a family of pirates! You all are beautiful! Sometimes things are hard, sometimes things are the greatest! Either way, you have a family here, you have people that will vouch for you here. We are that place, and we are damn proud of it! Things will change, but you will always find support here. Thanks for being you. We need it!

 

Danny Lesslie

@dannylesslie