Since the start of 2012, it seems that every Sunday has either been filled by a big televised event or awards show: the Golden Globes, the Super Bowl, the Grammys and the Academy Awards.
These events can be inspiring and emotional because stars and athletes are rewarded for their passion and drive. I enjoy watching these events because they are important cultural markers. Years from now, we can look back to see who won a particular game or award, and we can remember the movies, songs or team we enjoyed that year.
This year, I teared up many times during the Oscars, especially watching Octavia Spencer win Best Supporting Actress. I thought she was so deserving. Her role as Minny in “The Help” was spectacular, powerful, moving and humorous, but she also created a real and complicated character. Although she’s had previous roles and acting experience, I thought her acceptance speech was touching because she seemed so genuine, especially when she thanked her family and the state of Alabama. I felt similar emotion when Adele won six Grammy awards this year.
A popular tradition of these ceremonies is the acceptance speech. Celebrities are given a chance to thank all of those who have enabled their success.
This year I thought about the speeches differently. I wondered: Is our success truly ever our own? We might have talent and persistence, but it takes the effort of others ultimately to enable our success. If I wanted to be a famous actor, I could attend all the workshops and classes, plus I could have experience and enormous talent. But it takes the willingness of one person to give me a chance to be successful. It takes the effort of others to enable us to become who we want to be.
In many cases, these opportunities are luck-based. I hate the idea of luck. I would much rather think that I am in control of every circumstance, and many times I try to dismiss luck’s existence. Still, it is hard to deny that many of those actors are up on the stage simply because they happened to be at the right place at the right time with the needed set of skills.
Much of our lives is based on luck; we are lucky to wake up each morning and to move about our daily lives without major accidents.
So many details come together to define our circumstances. Of course, there also are things outside of our control that we cannot explain. These usually take the form of answered prayers or miracles.
It is not the people we meet who define our success. Yes, they provide opportunities, but relying on their motivation will ultimately cause us to fail, because we are working for someone else and not ourselves. Octavia Spencer and Adele may accept their awards and thank a lot of people, but ultimately their own decisions brought them to success.
Email Corin Harpe at charpe@gmail.com.