We live in a cynical world, where deriding failure is more respectable than lifting up those that make the effort.
That is why the phenomenons of "Linsanity" and "Tebowmania" are so important.
So what if they come back to earth? So what if they make a mistake? The fact that Jeremy Lin and Tim Tebow (and plenty of other athletes that work hard and don't take their fans for granted) are people in the spotlight displaying attributes we wish we all had is enough to raise them up.
Someday I hope my kids are humble, hard working, intelligent, generous, have a great sense of humor and are respectful of others. I want people that are succeeding by doing the right thing in the limelight, as examples of what can be accomplished by being a well rounded person.
We spend way too much time as a culture pointing out failure, predicting doom and celebrating outlandish mediocrity. Let's celebrate the people who work to be the best at whatever they do, and remind ourselves that it's okay to lift up those that embody qualities we all wish we had.
