Winners and Losers

In every competition, in every match up, in every situation, in every single moment of life itself, there will always be winners, and losers. Be it sports or academics. Be it out on the dance floor, on the hardwood court, out on the field, between two opposing ends of a table or even in a hall full of scholars furiously scribbling away on pieces of paper, there will be winners, and there will be losers. Often in life though, winners do not always win, nor do losers always lose.

Winners are obviously defined as the ones who finish first in the category of their choice. A winner can be that overly egotistical runner who finishes race after race in that forever vied for position of first placing or that student who always daydreams in class, and yet miraculously always achieves the top marks for every examination. A winner can also be that team of underdogs who always give a hundred and ten percent in every game, finally ending up with the glory and honor of standing at the top of the podium, eagerly anticipating their gold medals. But often a time, the achievement of victory fogs a person's humility, as they become egotistic, turning a blind side from the passion and training, begin hogging the limelight, believing it was "their talent" that had brought them that far and that which will bring them further.

In our “all or nothing” society, losing is cruel, as it is defined as not achieving first place. It is like getting the silver medal at the Olympics. Your hard work and passion for the sport is paid off with the much sought after polished gold medal. When you get the dusty bronze, well hey, at least you got something. When you get the silver medal, the message it sends is that you almost won the gold medal, that you were just that close from attaining the ultimate milestone. A loser is sometimes very much similar to an unpolished rock. Deemed by many upon first glance as ugly and worthless, numerous people fail to take the effort to polish it into the shiniest of diamonds. Therein lies one major difference between winners and losers. Most losers take every chance they get to inch closer to a win, whereas most winners already believe they have won. Many fail to realize, that the race, match, competition is never over. There is this unwavering truth, "winners never quit, and quitters never win". As long as losers never quit, never stop training themselves, they are already winners, in a sense. But when a winner quits training, clouded by his or her inflated ego from past victories, that winner ultimately becomes the loser.

Bringing it back to the point of "winners do not always win, nor do losers always lose", we learn that the harsh reality is just one bitter, cruel irony. True, the valor of the runner is rewarded after 6 consecutive hours of striving forward, being the first to sprint across the finishing line, hands lifted up high as he proves to himself that his hard work had not gone down the drain, feeling a multitude of emotions. True, there is also nothing more heartbreaking than giving nothing but your absolute best, only to unwillingly collapse in fatigue near the end of the race, furious at yourself for not being able to grant yourself that one last push to beat your rival in love, and win the race, not for the handsome first place trophy, but for the kind heart of the girl of your dreams. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak, as they say. As he acts out fake humility in receiving his award atop the first place position of the podium, you do not stand beside him as the “first” runner-up. You are in a fetal position from as when you fell, infuriated with yourself as you beat yourself up on the inside, tears rolling down your weary face. He gets down the podium after many pictures and of soaking up the limelight. He takes a quick glance at his surroundings, scouting for that same girl you sought after so much more than a prized gold-painted trophy, to brag in front of her about how much more worthy he is than you. His grip on that piece of metal loosened, his face cringed in an appalled expression as he spots her walking up to you step by step, before squatting down and placing a reassuring hand on your back, soothing you of the sting of defeat.

Guess it is true, what they say. Sometimes, the winner does not always win, nor does the loser always lose.