The first time I stepped onto a wrestling1 mat2， I was six， but all my familymembers like to say I got started in wrestling the day I was born. That’s becausemy dad used to be a wrestling coach and was pretty intense3 about the sport. Hehad coached state champions， guys he pushed and pushed to make them get to thetop of the victory podium4. Afterward， they all said how much they loved him.Dad stopped coaching when I turned twelve， but he never let go of his own lovefor the sport.

He never pressured me to win like his former5 wrestlers had. Maybe Dadsaw I lacked their skills or mental toughness6. Or maybe he blamed himself fornot giving me the genetic7 talent one needs to be a great athlete. Either way，although he tried not to show it， I could see the hurt in his eyes when I lost. Itwasn’t that he was disappointed; I think he felt sorry for me.

I knew my limitations8 （most opponents were quicker） and my strengths（because of Dad， I knew more moves）， but before I got into high school， I justwasn’t serious about the sport. The brutal truth is that if you want to win atwrestling， you have to take it seriously or， as Dad would say， “You have todedicate9 yourself， son. Commit10 to the sport.”

Dad was right.

我第一次踏上摔跤墊是在六歲的時(shí)候，但我所有的家人都喜歡說(shuō)我從出生那天起就開(kāi)始接觸摔跤了。那是因?yàn)槲野职衷?jīng)是一名摔跤教練，非常熱衷于這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)。他曾指導(dǎo)過(guò)州冠軍，他不斷推動(dòng)他們登上勝利領(lǐng)獎(jiǎng)臺(tái)的頂峰。之后，他們都說(shuō)他們多么愛(ài)他。我十二歲時(shí)，爸爸就不再執(zhí)教了，但他從未放棄自己對(duì)這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)的熱愛(ài)。

他從來(lái)沒(méi)有強(qiáng)迫我像他以前的摔跤手那樣贏。也許爸爸看到我缺乏他們的技能或心理韌性?；蛘咚载?zé)沒(méi)有遺傳給我成為一名優(yōu)秀運(yùn)動(dòng)員所需的天賦。不管怎樣，盡管他盡量不表現(xiàn)出來(lái)，但我能看到我輸?shù)舯荣悤r(shí)他眼中的傷痛。他并不是感到失望；我想他是為我感到難過(guò)。

我知道自己的局限性（大多數(shù)對(duì)手都更快）和優(yōu)勢(shì)（因?yàn)榘职郑抑栏嗟膭?dòng)作），但在我上高中之前，我并沒(méi)有認(rèn)真對(duì)待這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)。殘酷的事實(shí)是，如果你想在摔跤比賽中獲勝，你必須認(rèn)真對(duì)待它，或者，正如爸爸會(huì)說(shuō)的：“你必須全身心地投入，兒子。投入到這項(xiàng)運(yùn)動(dòng)中去?！?/p>

爸爸是對(duì)的。

When I joined the high school team， I committed myself and trained yearround—with Dad leading the way. He and I were together a lot. In the spring，summer， and fall， I lifted with Dad spotting me， ran with Dad timing me， andlearned advanced moves from Dad to improve my technique on the mat. “You haveto do more than the other guys，”Dad advised me. “Practices during the seasonaren’t enough. This is what you have to do if you want to be successful atanything.”

During the season， he’d watch from the stands， and I’d join him in the bleachers11 to hear his critique12 after my matches. I listened carefully to what hehad to say， and soon I began to win more matches. The trophies13 glistened14 on mybedroom bookshelf at home. But Dad hugging me after my matches—his face beaming15 with pride—glistens even more brightly in my memory.

Things changed， though.

At a practice during the first week of the season in my senior year， I felt myheart uncomfortable. Dad took me to the doctor’s office， and the worst news，however， was that I had to stop wrestling. Dad was so upset. Nevertheless， when wedrove home， Dad echoed16 the doctor， “Quitting wrestling is the right thing to do，Keith.”

At the dinner table that evening， Dad said nothing， worrying me. Later， Igathered the courage to stand in front of him as he sat watching the news and askedif we could talk.

“Of course， son. What is it？”He turned off the television and looked up at me.

I looked at the tops of my shoes. “I’m sorry ifI’ve disappointed you.”

當(dāng)我加入高中校隊(duì)時(shí)，我全身心投入，全年都在訓(xùn)練———由爸爸帶頭。他和我經(jīng)常在一起。在春天、夏天和秋天，我在爸爸的指導(dǎo)下舉重，在爸爸的計(jì)時(shí)下跑步，并從爸爸那里學(xué)習(xí)高階動(dòng)作，以提高我在摔跤墊上的技術(shù)?！澳惚仨毐绕渌俗龅酶?。”爸爸建議我說(shuō)，“僅僅在賽季里練習(xí)是不夠的。如果你想在任何事情上取得成功，這就是你必須做的?！?/p>

在賽季中，他會(huì)在看臺(tái)上觀看比賽，我會(huì)在我的比賽結(jié)束后和他一起在露天看臺(tái)上聽(tīng)取他的點(diǎn)評(píng)。我認(rèn)真地聽(tīng)了他的話，很快我就開(kāi)始贏得更多的比賽。獎(jiǎng)杯在我家臥室的書(shū)架上閃閃發(fā)光。但在我的記憶中，爸爸在比賽結(jié)束后擁抱著我，臉上洋溢著的自豪的笑容更加燦爛。

然而，事情發(fā)生了變化。

在高三賽季第一周的一次練習(xí)中，我感到心臟不舒服。爸爸帶我去看醫(yī)生，最壞的消息是我不得不停止摔跤。爸爸很沮喪。盡管如此，當(dāng)我們開(kāi)車(chē)回家時(shí)，爸爸還是重復(fù)了醫(yī)生的話：“放棄摔跤是正確的做法，基思?！?/p>

那天晚上，在餐桌上，爸爸一言不發(fā)，這讓我很擔(dān)心。后來(lái)，我鼓起勇氣，在他看新聞的時(shí)候站在他面前，問(wèn)我們是否可以談?wù)劇?/p>

“當(dāng)然，兒子。想談什么？”他關(guān)掉電視，抬頭看著我。

我看向了我的鞋尖?！叭绻易屇闶?，我很抱歉?！?/p>

He exhaled17 loudly and rested his hands on his knees. “What？ How haveyou disappointed me？”

I lifted my head and met his eyes. “That I couldn’t finish wrestling thisseason.”

Dad’s voice came down a decibel18 or two. “That’s not your fault， Keith，and you didn’t disappoint me.”

I continued to stare at Dad and pressed on， “Is wrestling the only thing wehave in common？”

Dad bowed his head and said， “I’ve been a real chump19 if anything I’vedone has made you feel that way.”

We stayed quiet for a minute， both of us wondering who should speak next.I searched my brain for the right words until I found them. “I thought our onlybond was wrestling.”

Dad looked up at me and smiled slowly. “It was never really aboutwrestling， son. It was about dedication20， commitment21， and perseverance22.The fact that you trained the way you did and competed so enthusiastically23was enough for me.”He finished his statement with a head nod.

I discovered I’d been holding my breath. “So， you’re not disappointed orangry？”

His eyes got big. “Of course not. I’ve never been angry at you， and I willalways love you whether you wrestle or not.”Then Dad stood and hugged me，his arms enveloping24 me in the warmth of his body.

Wrestling has had a great effect on my life. It made me healthier， moreconfident， and goal-oriented25. I’ve learned to deal with losing and to appreciatewinning. I’m especially thankful for the memories I have spending time with mydad on wrestling mats. He came to all my matches and encouraged me whether Iwon or lost. He showed me moves and taught me mental toughness. My heartmay have prevented me from continuing as a competitor， but my heart is stillgrateful for all that Dad did to make me not only a better wrestler but also abetter person.

他大聲呼了口氣，雙手放在膝蓋上?！笆裁矗磕阍趺醋屛沂?？”

我抬起頭，與他對(duì)視。“我沒(méi)能完成這個(gè)賽季的摔跤比賽。”

爸爸的聲音降低了一兩個(gè)分貝?！澳遣皇悄愕腻e(cuò)，基思，你沒(méi)有讓我失望?！?/p>

我繼續(xù)凝視著爸爸，追問(wèn)道：“摔跤是我們唯一的共同點(diǎn)嗎？”

爸爸低著頭說(shuō)：“如果我所做的任何事情讓你有這種感覺(jué)的話，我就是一個(gè)真正的傻瓜?！?/p>

我們沉默了一分鐘，兩人都在想接下來(lái)該由誰(shuí)發(fā)言。我絞盡腦汁，終于找到了合適的話語(yǔ)?！拔乙詾槲覀兾ㄒ坏募~帶就是摔跤。”

爸爸抬頭看著我，慢慢地笑了笑?！皬膩?lái)都不是摔跤，兒子。是奉獻(xiàn)、熱情和毅力。你以這樣的方式訓(xùn)練，如此熱情地參加比賽，這對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)已經(jīng)足夠了?！彼c(diǎn)頭結(jié)束了表態(tài)。

我發(fā)現(xiàn)我一直在屏住呼吸。“所以，你沒(méi)有失望或生氣嗎？”

他瞪大了眼睛?！爱?dāng)然沒(méi)有。我從來(lái)沒(méi)有生過(guò)你的氣，無(wú)論你摔跤與否，我都會(huì)永遠(yuǎn)愛(ài)你。”然后爸爸站起來(lái)?yè)肀?，他的手臂將我包裹在他身體的溫暖中。

摔跤對(duì)我的生活產(chǎn)生了巨大的影響。它讓我更健康、更有信心、更有目標(biāo)。我學(xué)會(huì)了面對(duì)失敗，也學(xué)會(huì)了欣賞勝利。我特別感謝我和爸爸在摔跤墊上度過(guò)的時(shí)光。他來(lái)看了我所有的比賽，無(wú)論我是贏了還是輸了，他都鼓勵(lì)我。他給我示范動(dòng)作，教我堅(jiān)強(qiáng)的精神。我的心臟可能阻止了我繼續(xù)做一名選手，但對(duì)于爸爸為了讓我成為一名更好的摔跤手，甚至是一個(gè)更好的人所做的一切，我仍心存感激。

（英語(yǔ)原文選自：chickensoup.com）