Simone Biles, considered by some the best woman gymnast in history, invited a wide range of responses following her decision to withdraw from parts of the Olympic competition. Upon announcing her decision to withdraw due to overwhelming stress and mental exhaustion, people from around the globe lauded her decision, saying things like “self-care” was more important than a gold medal. On the other hand, many condemned her decision as “poor sportsmanship, selfish, immature, a shame to the country, and a betrayal of her teammates.” Similarly, 23 year old tennis phenom, Naomi Osaka, faced the same responses after withdrawing from the French Open citing concerns for her mental health.
Anxiety, distress, depression, feeling lost and alone due to the pressure to fulfill the expectations of others, to conform to a certain image and lose one’s authentic self in the process, is an experience almost every one of us shares. The challenge in every relationship, whether it is with one person, one’s family, classmates, or a grandstand full of wild fans, is to resist becoming something you are not, to be authentic and true to one’s self. St. Francis de Sales would advise, “Be who you are and be that well.”
In the Fourth Part of the Introduction to the Devout Life, Francis de Sales encourages those seeking a devout life, not to worry about the expectations or judgements of others. He states that the criticisms and jealousies coming from others who would like you to conform to their standards, is “mere foolish, empty babbling. These people aren’t interested in your health or welfare.”
While Francis is abundantly clear and reasonable, it is still a challenge to remain strong and fixed with integrity as we resist the temptation to follow the crowd, or attempt to fit in. He points out that even Christ faced this challenge, look how he was condemned for associating with “sinners and tax collectors.” Francis encourages us to strongly resist the temptation to lose our true selves. “Let us be firm in our purposes and unswerving in our resolutions. Perseverance will prove…” He ends this chapter with the following, “ The world holds us to be fools; let us hold it to be mad.” It’s a difficult path to follow, but one that leads to eternal “gold.”
Rev. Jack Loughran, OSFS
Provincial, Toledo-Detroit Province
