Tell a story of when you’ve had to receive care. How did it change you?
Receiving care is a different thing when you’ve always been on the caregiving side. You have to learn how to receive care.
As an athlete, you’re so busy trying to be there for your teammates, your family, your company and everybody. The reality is, to whom much is given, much is required. But we also have to learn how to receive, and receiving requires you to relinquish the power, relinquish the ego and learn how to appreciate the giver.
God blessed me with the talent to do things I have been able to do. The giver gave me that talent, and so my reward back to him is to honor that talent by maximizing it to the fullest extent of my potential. But I also have to learn how to be humble enough to receive care when necessary. That’s why you reach out to doctors to understand exactly what you’re dealing with, and they give you the proper information so you can make the proper decisions for yourself as well as for your family.
Care is one of those things that’s very delicate for people like myself who are always driven to take care of others. But at the end of the day, there comes a time when we may need to receive that care as well, and we have to understand when that time comes.
What do you say to men who are struggling to take on the role of caregiver? What advice do you have for them?
I would say to any man that’s struggling with caregiving, it’s kind of hard for me to see because a man’s mentality is truly to provide, whether it’s emotionally, physically, spiritually or financially. It’s in his nature — that’s why he goes out and hunts, and he’s going to work his behind off to do whatever he can to provide, especially if he has kids.
Now, for the man who has those responsibilities but chooses not to accept them, that’s immaturity. That’s someone I can never reach because they’re not ready for the message. This message is for those who are willing to humble themselves and move forward.
