He can best described as a man who had it, lost it, and got it back. The person I’m referring to is named Michael; not Michael Jones, Michael Jordan, or Michael Jackson but Michael Vick. As an avid sports fan like many of you I was memorized by his rise to fame as he would razzle and dazzle football fans with his phenomenal physical ability. However in 2007 his meteoric rise was only eclipsed by is colossal fall as in 2007 he pled guilty to an illegal dog-fighting. This felony charge came with two years of prison, the loss of his multimillion dollar NFL salary, and product endorsement deals. Combined with previous financial mismanagement, legal fees, and his having to pay the falcons back close to 20 million dollars, Michael Vick was forced to file for bankruptcy. During this time, many people and pro organizations wrote him off and never expected him to regain his prominence and position.
However, earlier this year Michael Vick was named by the Associated Press as the Comeback Player of the Year for the 2010 football season. After being given a chance by another group of birds, the Eagles, Michael Vick returned to his place as one of the best QB’s in the NFL. Now Vick is using his new opportunity to help others who have made mistakes. On yesterday, he did the commencement speech at a local school which serves students with emotional, disciplinary, and academic problems. In addition, he presented two scholarships to help students pursue their dream. I like that! For his life illustrates that it is possible to comeback from a setback. Maybe that’s just what someone needs to hear today; your failure does not have to be fatal but it indeed can be fruitful.
How does it work? Well it’s as simple as A-B-C. First you have to be willing to admit that you made a mistake. That sounds so easy, but this first step has been known to trip up many individuals. Saying we have been wrong is sometimes a difficult thing for us to do. However, you can’t fix what you won’t face, and you can’t conquer what you won’t confess. So go ahead and face yourself so you won’t continue to disgrace yourself. Secondly you must believe that your failure is not the end of you. Sometimes we make the mistake of defining ourselves by our failure. This mentality will render us captives of a cycle that will cause us to continue to experience the same failure. However you must believe that there are brighter days ahead. Finally you must make another choice. I believe that much of where we are in life has to do with the choices that we make. Our choices all have consequences connected to them. Just as it took a choice to get you into the situation, it will take a choice to get you out of it. Today you have been given another chance to make another choice! In closing, I would like to give you the words that Vick gave to those students on yesterday, “''Use me as an example at how to become an instrument of change ... you can do it as well.''
PEACE!
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