Last year, I read the best acceptance speech I’ve ever seen from a movie awards night. (I don’t really watch those events so that’s not saying too much.) When Joaquin Phoenix was recognized as the Best Actor by the London Critic’s Circle, he said this:
“I struggle with the idea of winning awards for acting. Stating I’m Best Actor for something as subjective as film seems strange to me. To the uninitiated it implies I’m solely responsible for the creation and implementation of the character. I am not. I suppose that’s why we thank our colleagues…. The truth is, you cannot separate my work from their’s…. I view this award as recognition of all of our work.”
He received a very prestigious individual award, but he knew exactly how to handle it. He knew that it took a whole team to get there. In the whole speech, he appreciated so many of the cast and crew of the film that helped him give his best as well.
All of us could learn something from that. There are so many people who help us get to wherever we need to go.
When I look at my own life and accomplishments, I cannot honestly take credit for anything. There’s no way to individually portion our honor because I really would not have accomplished anything of significance without my family, my church, my colleagues, and my friends. That’s just the way God designed the world.
Today, take a moment to appreciate the people who have helped you accomplish important things in your life. Say a prayer for them, tell them how you appreciate them, or just say thank you. You don’t need a big awards night to do that. 🙂
