There once was a little boy who wanted to be a knight. The type that went into battle riding a horse, wearing shinning armor, fighting with bravery, and living their lives with a code of honor. This little boy did not grow up in a far off land or a time long ago. Instead, the boy grew up in the big city. In the city, knights in the traditional sense were not too much in demand. As many young children, he had big dreams and goals. Some kids want all the toys in the world, some want to be a great gamer, to be a great athlete, to make lots of money, to become an astronaut, to become a world famous Youtuber, or something more. This kid wanted to be a knight. However, as time goes on, many children’s dreams are suffocated by the blanket of mediocrity that society, parents, teachers, and others spread over them. As a result, we allow our dreams to fall to the side. Time tends to cover them up and to be long forgotten. So the boy’s dream of being a knight ended.
Years later the little boy grew up and had a family of his own. In fact, he had a son who was his carbon copy and his mini me. His little son was full of life and brought energy to the entire house. He was handsome, funny, and loving. The little boy wanted to be a knight, but not in the traditional sense like his father once dreamed of. The little boy wanted to be the kind of knight that wore a uniform. His battle field was made of grass and had lines drawn on it. He could not ride into the battlefield on a horse. Instead, he relied on his parents to drive him there. He was not the biggest knight on the battlefield. Most of the time he was the smallest. He was easily knocked down, but always got back up to continue the fight. He inspired his fellow knights and all the spectators around the battlefield. He loved competing on the battlefield. Despite being undersized, he never backed down. He had a natural vision for the battlefield and was able to help his fellow knights to victory. His weapons of choice were his mind and his legs. His foot was his sword. It could cut through the other side’s defense. However, his biggest weapon was how he inspired others.
The biggest person this young knight inspired was his very own father. Yes, the same father who grew up wanting to be a knight himself. In life and as parents, we always look to teach and inspire our children. However, there are times when our children inspire us. Our children can teach us in the most simple yet powerful ways. You see, our children have a pure, simple way of looking at life that has not yet been contaminated by insecurity, fear, mediocrity, and conformity. I am proud to say my young son is a Young Defender and a knight. His battlefield is the soccer field. He inspires so many. Other parents, spectators, and teammates respect his bravery and comment on it. Our version of being a knight may vary from person to person. We may want to be a knight (figuratively) in business, at school, at home, at work, at our temples or churches, or in any area we deem important. However, our desire to be great and to do great things for ourselves and the world should never vary. Thank you Nikhil for inspiring me and reminding me not to give up on being a knight and a Young Defender.
