Defiantly compete for the goodness in each moment

​The Indiana Pacers' coach, Rick Carlisle, was asked to comment on the recent passing of his former teammate and basketball legend, Bill Walton. Carlisle said, "he defiantly competed to make every moment in life the best moment it could be."

I found that to be beautifully profound.

"He defiantly competed."

Carlisle didn't simply say he competed to make each moment the best, but that he DEFIANTLY competed.

Because some moments don't make it easy on us to make it the best moment possible, do they? Some moments seem to be inviting us into chaos or confusion or destruction. And we often have histories and stories we tell ourselves about our lives that make us vulnerable to accepting such invitations.

Carlisle seemed to be suggesting that Walton had a gift for staring such moments in the eye and saying no, I will not let this moment beat me. I will not let this moment make something of my life I'm not interested in it making of it.

In Carlisle's eyes, Walton was always trying to win the moment.

What can you do today to defiantly compete to make each moment the best moment it can be?

Can you let perceived slights go on by in favor of not letting those slights slight the moment?

Can you embrace the possibility that this angry moment shall pass and not cling tightly to it as if you are just destined to be forever an angry person?

Can you tell the moment trying to convince you that you need a drink that your best moments these days don't include drinks?

Can you tell the moment begging you to binge on Netflix that you'd rather read a book that will better prepare you to binge on life?

Can you tell the moment trying to convince you that prayer is useless that you would have never arrived to this moment without it?

We are all going to battle with our moments today. Seems like Bill Walton understood that. Maybe in Walton's passing we can all carry a piece of him forward and more defiantly compete against our moments.

Maybe we can all start insisting, this is going to be the best moment this moment can be.

That's my kind of defiance.