{"id":2097,"date":"2021-09-04T13:13:09","date_gmt":"2021-09-04T13:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cogentmotivation.com\/?p=2097"},"modified":"2021-09-04T13:13:13","modified_gmt":"2021-09-04T13:13:13","slug":"why-me-arthur-ashe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cogentmotivation.com\/index.php\/2021\/09\/04\/why-me-arthur-ashe\/","title":{"rendered":"Why me!? : Arthur Ashe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How often do we exclaim \u201cWhy me!?\u201d The last quarter of 2021 has already begun and I am sure at some point in your life this year, you were so overwhelmed that you couldn\u2019t help but ask \u201cWhy me? Oh God, why always me!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone in your friend\u2019s circle and close ones seem to be doing well in one or many aspects of their lives. Some of them seem to be doing great progress in their academics while you are struggling with the subjects. Another friend of yours has got an opportunity or a job to advance his career but you are facing rejections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image by John Hain<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

You are having troubles with your family lately but most of your friends look to be living a peaceful, harmonious life. Your closest friends have found the love of their lives and look cheerful than ever before and here you are, gloomy, rejected and lonely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image by Guildenstern_artist<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The list goes on but I am sure, you have been through one of these and cried \u201cWhy me!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if it happens with everyone, then why does it still feel that only you are the unlucky one? Let\u2019s dive in, but first, let\u2019s revisit one of the most inspiring tales in the context of \u201cWhy me!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The amazing story of Arthur Ashe<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Arthur Ashe, an American Tennis player had won 3 Grand slams and at one point in his career even ranked World No. 1. He was the very definition of success until the end of his Tennis career. However, while undergoing a blood transfusion for his heart bypass surgery, he, unfortunately, contracted HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Arthur Ashe<\/a> by j4p4n<\/a> is licenced under CC0 1.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

And as it happens with HIV-AIDS his health steadily declined. His fans couldn\u2019t help but write letters of affection to him. One of the letters read:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy you Arthur? Haven\u2019t you asked God, why did he have to select you for such a horrible disease? Have you never asked God, why me?\u201d<\/p>– A fan to Arthur Ashe <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

To which Arthur Ashe replied:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c50 million children started playing tennis, 5 million learnt to play tennis, 500,000 learnt professional tennis, 50 thousand came to the circuit, 5 thousand reached Grand Slam, 50 reached Wimbledon, 4 reached semifinals, 2 reached finals and when I was holding the cup in my hands, I never asked God, \u2018Why me?\u2019. So now that I am in pain how can I ask God, \u2018Why me?\u2019\u201d<\/p>– Arthur Ashe<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Arthur Ashe\u2019s reply answers the question better than any explanation could. Even with the terminal disease, he had the vision and the gratitude to see it all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cogent approach<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We humans have evolved with the tendency to look for the negatives many times seriously than the positives. And don\u2019t get me wrong, it\u2019s a boon and not a bane. If our ancestors hadn\u2019t taken the danger of being eaten by wild beasts seriously and had kept a passive hope that the beast won\u2019t turn up this time, we would have required many more million years to evolve to what we are today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image by Andrew Martin<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This trait is the underlying thought process that makes us focus heavily on the negatives. And it still serves us. It makes us aware of the red flags, sends a spark of consciousness down our spines and tries to keep us in a protective shell. So completely ruling out this trait would be foolishness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at the same time, it also obscures you from some facts that make the situation seem superficially much worse than it is. Yes, maybe you are lonelier today than all your friends, but maybe some of them is struggling terribly to get their academics together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Image by mohamed Hassan<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You are getting rejections for your job applications or fumbling up in interviews, but maybe that \u2018successful friend\u2019 of yours has endless family problems that you don\u2019t have to face. You have relationship issues to deal with but that friend of yours who has perfect physical strength and career has not even a relationship, to begin with!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A friend of yours has lost their father or mother recently but you feel, you are the unfortunate one to have \u2018difficult parents.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image by Gerd Altmann<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There is wisdom in acknowledging the good you have and the things you have figured out in life. While the negatives are indicative of the absence of something that needs your attention. Most of the time, it can be something that you can\u2019t change immediately. But with patience over time, the situation can get better if consistent efforts are taken towards it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course, sometimes you just cannot change a situation, like Arthur Ashe, who couldn\u2019t change his terminal fate. In these circumstances, this wisdom of gratitude can provide the best possible cure in the time you get to live!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Image by Susan Cipriano<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So the next time you find yourself asking \u201cWhy me?\u201d, just remember Arthur Ashe\u2019s response and be rest assured of soothing your pain away!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How often do we exclaim \u201cWhy me!?\u201d The last quarter of 2021 has already begun and I am sure at … Read MoreWhy me!? : Arthur Ashe<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[7],"tags":[16,10,8],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhy me!? : Arthur Ashe - Cogent Motivation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"y begun and I am sure at some point in your life this year, you were so overwhelmed that you couldn\u2019t help but ask \u201cWhy me? 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