Redemption on the mat.

I watch as he sits alone on the last chair, hands clasped behind his bowed head, drenched with sweat, hair disheveled, struggling painfully to catch his breath. He left the mat without his pride, without victory, the confidence he had stepping in manifestly absent. He was in the best shape of his life, brawny and as strong as he'll ever be; should have won, but he didn't. He approached with arrogance, faltered, and was subsequently outperformed-- Defeat is the inevitable penalty incurred when one fails to utilize the benefits of skill and the wisdom gained from rigorous training. Wiping away the tears he sighs, absorbing the shame and yeilding to the anguish of this moment-- a memory he will never forget. This lesson has prepared him. The next time he walks on the mat his opponent will sense the change and feel the pain of past mistakes.