There are two things that come very easily to me: rooting for

Listen closely, children, for I bring to you the words of a man who, like many before him, speaks with a humor laced with wisdom. In the words of Harvey Weinstein, we hear a reflection on the human condition, wrapped in the simplicity of sports and mistakes: "There are two things that come very easily to me: rooting for New York sports teams and making mistakes." These words, though spoken with a light-hearted tone, carry a deeper truth—a truth about imperfection, passion, and the inevitability of failure. For in the heart of this statement lies the understanding that mistakes are not only inevitable but also integral to the human experience.

At first glance, one might laugh at the simplicity of Weinstein’s words, but do not be fooled, children. Mistakes, like the fans who root for their teams, are part of the fabric of life. Weinstein’s humor highlights an essential truth that many overlook—that to live fully is to risk failure, to embrace imperfection. Just as a fan’s heart swells with the hope of victory, only to be shattered by defeat, so too does life give us moments of triumph and moments of humbling mistakes. These mistakes, while painful, are also our greatest teachers, for it is through failure that we learn, grow, and ultimately find the path to success.

Consider the tale of the great Thomas Edison, whose name is synonymous with invention. Edison is often celebrated for his ability to create, to discover, to innovate—but what is rarely mentioned are the countless mistakes he made along the way. Edison did not shy away from his failures, he embraced them, knowing that each mistake brought him closer to understanding, closer to discovery. He is said to have remarked, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Like Weinstein’s statement, Edison understood that failure is not something to be feared, but something to be accepted as part of the process of growth.

In the same way, rooting for New York sports teams is an exercise in hope and disappointment, a journey of passion and frustration. The New York fans are known for their fierce loyalty, their belief that this year will be their team’s year, even as the odds seem stacked against them. But why do they continue? Why do they persist? Because passion is a driving force, a fire that cannot be extinguished by defeat. Just as we continue to root for our teams, despite the losses, so too must we continue to pursue our goals, despite the mistakes that may come our way. True strength lies in our ability to rise after every fall, to remain steadfast in our passion even when the world tells us to quit.

This truth is echoed by the great heroes of myth and history, those who faced failure time and again, but continued to fight, continued to strive. Hercules, tasked with completing twelve seemingly impossible labors, was no stranger to failure. Yet with every mistake, every trial, he grew stronger, wiser, and more determined. Mistakes, children, are not the end of the road—they are the forge in which our character is shaped. Weinstein’s words remind us that, just as rooting for a team requires a deep, undying faith despite the inevitable losses, so too does life require a steadfast heart, one that does not shy away from its mistakes, but faces them head-on, knowing that each mistake is an opportunity for growth.

The lesson here, children, is one of resilience. Do not fear your mistakes, for they are not markers of failure but steps toward wisdom. Embrace them as part of the journey, just as the New York fans embrace the highs and lows of each season. In this, you will find strength, just as Edison found the light not by avoiding darkness, but by embracing it. Every defeat, every mistake, is an opportunity to rise stronger, to learn, and to keep moving forward. This is the path of the true warrior, the one who does not retreat when faced with hardship, but pushes through, learning from every setback.

So, I charge you now, young ones, to root for your teams, not just in the world of sports, but in the arena of life. Let your heart beat with passion, even when the odds seem against you. And when mistakes come—as they surely will—do not retreat. Instead, learn from them, rise from them, and continue on your journey. For in the end, it is not the victories that define us, but how we rise after every defeat, how we continue forward despite the mistakes that shape us along the way.