Lewis Says Endings Necessary Before Beginnings
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UPPER MARLBORO, Md – Ray Lewis knows pain, and not just because he’s a former All-Pro linebacker and future Hall-of-Famer who won two Super Bowl rings with the Baltimore Ravens.
Yes, running full speed and launching his body into other men for 27 years took its toll – “My neck would hurt, too,” he told attendees at the 15th annual Mighty Men of Valor National Conference. But he shared some of the hurt more common to the men gathered at First Baptist Church of Glenarden.
He talked about the pain of not having a father in his life while growing up. The pain of witnessing domestic violence during his childhood. The pain in his stomach and his feet, respectively, from not having enough to eat and wearing the same pair of shoes for nine years.
“I was carrying all that pain,” he said. “When was I going to let that go? When was I going to be strong enough to let that go?”
He was 33 years old when he reached out to reconcile with his father, telling him “Don’t ask me for nothing, just be my Dad.”
That was one of those “Necessary Endings,” the title of Lewis’ message. He said every man is fighting something in his spirit and every man has the opportunity to end something he knows is necessary before beginning something new.
“We have to let something go,” he said. “We have to end what we know has the ability to destroy us in the blink of an eye.”
NFL careers can cease that abruptly – or seem too. As Lewis returned from a career-threatening injury last season to rejoin his team in time for the Super Bowl run, he heard God’s voice. God said it would be Lewis’ final campaign and he wanted all the glory if it ended with another championship.
“The only words that would come out of my mouth when the man on TV asked me how I felt was, ‘When God is with you, who can be against you?’” Lewis said. “No matter what you’re going through, figure out what team you’re on and say you know it’s going to be alright. It’s a mindset, no matter the circumstance.
“Today is about ending necessary things in life.”
