I have heard that dealing with winning the Silver Medal in the Olympics is one of the hardest things in sports.  If you win the Bronze, you are thrilled that you even placed.  When you win the gold, you know you are the best.  When you win the silver, you aren't quite the best, you are just 2nd place.  You won't make it into any record books, you won't be remembered, and people will not be likely to talk about you around the water cooler the next day.  You were only in 2nd place. 

I have been thinking about this quite a bit lately.  It seems like often, actually most of the time, I come in second, and it is hard to deal with.  When I was laid of a few years ago, I cannot tell you the number of times that I heard that I was a close second to the guy they hired.  When we have been considering adoption, we come in a close second often before we are chosen for a child.  It seems I am often 2nd best, and quite honestly sometimes it bothers me.

However, I have also thought that maybe it shouldn't bother me.  Rather than being bothered that I am second best, maybe I should rejoice in the someone who is the best.  Maybe I should realize that I am second best in something, but at least I have been blessed to be good in that thing.  Maybe I should be content, actually, no maybe, I should be content with where I am.

More importantly, however, I do know there is one thing I am best at.  I am the best husband my wife has, and the best dad my children have.  When I think about it, that's enough.  I am ok being 2nd place in everything else, if I do that the best I can.