Be A Ringer

Be A Ringer! (original photography by Sheri & Bill)

Guided by focus and skill, the horseshoe gracefully flew, surrounding the stake with a clank. A “ringer”!

Yes, the horseshoe was a ringer , but so was the man. He was the one you wanted on your team, because you knew that with him as a teammate and “ringer” you had a better chance to win the game in both horseshoes and life.    

A ringer is the person whose mix of talent, timing, and temperament makes everyone else better. They’re not just in the game, they change it.

To be a ringer you wear the “ringer’s outfit” of consistency, accuracy, focus on goals, persistence, resilience, learn from experience and wield a sense of humor for when you miss the mark.  

Bill: I took this picture outside a cabin in the Pocono Mountains a few years ago. The air was clear and crisp and the humor and trash talk were dry but merciful. I knew the man throwing horseshoes. He taught me to play. He was my uncle…and he wore the outfit well.     

Sheri: When I first took ballroom dance lessons, I occasionally was paired up with a ringer who already knew the lesson being taught. It was a real learning bonus then and in life - that’s how I met Bill. 😊 

The ringer isn’t just about winning; it’s also about bringing hidden strengths to the moment when others need it most. Let’s say a softball team invites a friend who “just plays for fun.” Turns out she played Division I in college, and hit a home run every at-bat. This ringer brought undercover excellence to the team and a game worth remembering.  

So, here’s your challenge: where can you be a ringer? At work, at home, or in your community, someone is waiting for your mix of skill, spirit, and encouragement. Step into the game, wear the outfit, and make the people around you better.  

Positive Reflections...

What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.” – Plutarch      

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” – Aristotle        

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Music Corner…

“Music has a way of capturing the spirit of a ringer — that mix of grit, heart, and influence that changes the game. These songs echo the very qualities that make someone unforgettable on the field, the dance floor, or in life.”

 “Eye of the Tiger”  - Survivor   This song brings focus, resilience, and showing up ready. A ringer doesn’t back down; they prepare, persist, and perform under pressure.

“Wind Beneath My Wings” - Bette Midler  This song presents the power of lifting others. A true ringer isn’t always in the spotlight  -  sometimes their gift is making everyone else stronger, steadier, and braver.

“Leader of the Pack”  - The Shangri-Las  Standing out as the difference-maker. A ringer changes the story  -  they shift the momentum and set the tone, whether in play or in life.

Sheri & Bill, Storytellers in Word Image and Song

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