What I would say to Mike Tyson

There are some good things about bad things – this is often the case.  I recall speaking with a friend of mine who went to graduate school in Dallas.  She hated it there.  Still, as I spoke with her more, she had to admit that a certain fondness for the place had developed in her heart.  After all, she had spent part of her life there.  Any place we spent time at is significant.  Is it significant because we aren’t put on this earth for a very long time.  And, of all the places in this big planet, most of us are only able to live in a select few.

I suppose you could say the same thing about people.  There are a lot of people on this planet.  I don’t know how many.  A bunch of billion we’ll say.  Of the bunch of billion, we get to know a much smaller amount.  These people are significant.  They are significant because there are opportunity costs to knowing people.  Spending time with one group negates the ability to spend as much time with another.

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I caught the end of Oprah today.  She had Mike Tyson on and they brought out Evander Holyfield.  At one point many years earlier, Tyson bit off part of Holyfield’s ear.  I’m not sure what they were both doing there, but I think they were trying to make peace with each other.

I could tell that Tyson admired Holyfield.  I could tell it by the things he said and by the way he affectionately grabbed Holyfield’s wrist at one point.  Holyfield is three years older than Tyson.  Tyson knew Holyfield when he was very young.  What kid doesn’t admire another athlete who is three years older?  In addition, it seems that Tyson in particular needed people to admire.

I think the wrist grab was a sign that Tyson was looking for more.  I was hoping for a hug.  I think Tyson wanted a hug.  I think he could have used one.  From what I know, Tyson was raised as if he were an animal.  He was used and deeply hurt by the people he trusted.  On top of it all, he lost a daughter.  I can’t imagine all the pain he has experienced.  I have a lot of compassion for the man.  A lot of other people do as well.  I hope Mike knows this and I hope that it leads to some type of healing in his life.

If I could meet Mike Tyson, I would tell him that I care about him.  If he were okay with it, I would wrap my arms around him.  I would tell him that I’m sorry for the ways he was mistreated.  I would tell him that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother, a grace that is sufficient and a God who forgives.  If I could convey one thing to him, it would be that no matter what he has done, he is loved.  While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  For God so loved the world, He entered into it.  He came not to condemn, but to save.  His body was broken.  Especially for me.  Especially for you.  Especially for Iron Mike.

Category: Musings