In 1988, Pat Benatar released her smash, albeit angry, “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.” There is no wonder why listeners back then and even today have gravitated to these lyrics:
You’re a real tough cookie
With a long history
Of breaking little hearts
Like the one in me.
Do those words conjure up a certain person or inanimate situation that almost knocked you to the ground emotionally and/or physically? Benatar goes on to declare:
That’s okay let’s, let’s see how
You do it.
Put up your dukes, let’s
Get down to it!
Fight or flight are two very real reactions to danger that have served all of us quite well during times of conflict. Knowing the right time to use each of these responses is a huge key to survival. Regardless of the choice, living to fight another day would be the ultimate goal.
Knock me down, it’s all
In vain.
I’ll get right back on my
Feet again!
Last Monday evening, Cookie and I had the distinct pleasure of being interviewed by the famous and gracious Jackie Kallen. (You can view the entire program on the Jackie & Co. website.) This “first lady of boxing” is well known for her managing and promoting world champion boxers. In preparation for this opportunity to be on her radio show, I read her book Between the Ropes. Talk about a person who is the epitome of Pat Benatar’s song! Whether snubbed for the award of “Manager of the Year” or being jolted by her husband by divorce, Jackie “got right back on her feet again.”
She was the perfect hostess for guiding our conversation which continued our message of racial harmony. She knew first hand about the struggles of humans whether Jewish or Black coming to the realization that we, as we have said in our book Black and White Like You and Me, all belong to the same human race and need to stop the divisiveness NOW!
So, hit us with your best shot; we will get up off the canvas, maybe taking a standing eight count, but will get back into the fight for a better human race.
