I often like to share this ancedote about Ali and the Stewardess. It just cracks me up that she delivered a knock out punch to the champ!
There are a handful of people who TRULY made me want to be a better human being…. Not because of their success. But because of their HEART. Muhammad Ali is among that truly select group.
To me Ali represents the impact that love fully-embodied can have on the world. Ali showed everyone watching what it looks like to love all people, to radiate joy, and to rise above oppression, judgement, and prejudice, to live with passion – and to confidently embrace self-love. (“It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am.”)
Ali demonstrated the conviction of peace when he refused the draft into war. “I ain’t go no quarrel with those Vietcong,” he said “My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, some poor, hungry people in the mud, for big powerful America, and shoot them for what?” Ali said in an interview – and was swiftly banned from boxing for 3 years during the years experts say would have been his best professionally. It also resulted in a five year jail sentence that was overturned. But he lived his conviction for peace. Beautiful and epic.
Ali had a special place for children. After the biggest fight of his career when the world media wanted to celebrate him, he was no where to be found because he was far from the stadium doing magic tricks for children. That’s heart.
Thank you Ali for being one of my greatest inspirations and for filling the world with your spirit. You will always live on in my heart.
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