A Different Place by Roger Esty

Courtesy of Roger Esty

A DIFFERENT PLACE

Look at a boxing ring. Go to an empty gym and look at the ring. Simple structure. Strands of rope attached to ring posts and a canvas mat. A work place and theater for the sport of boxing. Inside the ring is the most unforgiving place in the world. Once you are inside the ring you are expected to accept what comes at you. It is not friendly. Sympathy is a vacuum. If you can't take what's going on in there,there's no law saying you have to go back in. But if you make the decision to get inside the ring,you are on your own. You have to find something inside yourself to survive in there. Don't look at your corner to help you. You have to punch. Protect yourself. You are on your own. When the work inside the ring is over,you leave with a satisfaction that you were tested when you had no one with you. Alone, you withstood the test. If you can do it alone,you know you can do anything.