I Volunteer As Tribute

“I volunteer!” I gasped. “I volunteer as tribute!” This is found on page 22 of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Trib·ute/ˈtribyo͞ot/noun

1. 1.an act, statement, or gift that is intended to show gratitude, respect, or admiration.”the video is a tribute to the musicals of the ’40s”synonyms:accolade, praise, commendation, salute, testimonial, homage, eulogy, paean, panegyric
2. 2.HISTORICAL payment made periodically by one state or ruler to another, especially as a sign of dependence.

The second definition given above means payment as a sign of dependence. This was absolutely the purpose of a tribute for the capital. This is often a forced act and an act to show another your power and dominance. However, Katniss does something in the very beginning of the series that foreshadows things to come.

Katniss acts out of love to save her family. Instead of acting as a submissive, she acts on behalf of another and reveals her power early on. Katniss often makes her biggest power plays out of emotion despite her unaffected appearance on her exterior. Katniss didn’t plan to be a tribute that day, but she did what was needed to be done to save her sister, Prim, from certain death in the arena. Prim was only 12, Katniss…16. Katniss had taken care of Prim for many years after the death of their father. After his death in a mining accident, their mother had entered a deep depression and it was Katniss that had held them together and kept them from being taken away to an orphanage. Katniss’ name was not the one drawn for the games on the day of the reaping, yet she was the one that volunteered and once again stepped up to protect her family willingly. That took more dominance and supremacy than the capital could ever force and strengthens her in preparation to stay the course in the games and return home a winner.

So, whats the message here? It is that you have to want it for your own reasons in order to care enough to see it through. If I don’t want it for me, it will never come to fruition and any little thing will be used as a justification for my excuses. If it’s forced, its work and can easily be dismissed. If it’s done in love for self and the betterment of my body, mind and spirit…it’s motivation and I won’t fail.

Today, I had big plans to make moves in the right direction. Well, they didn’t go as planned. I missed the opportunity for the gym this morning and this evening upon arriving home, OD’d on sugar. How did I justify? I am adjusting to a new schedule and need time to get on a steady track with taking the dogs out on my own in the mornings. Then, coming back in, changing, leaving for the gym and getting the work done before 6am. After the workout; I have to come home, shower, change, eat, fix my face and be out the door by 7:15. It’s a tedious schedule and needs some practice for sure, but I can’t let that be an acceptable excuse. Then, there is no excuse at all for an overdose of sugar. I need to plan better snacks and not wait until I’m so hungry I will eat anything.

So, I didn’t plan to have a crap day, but neither did Katniss. I choose to be the best me I can be for myself and those I love. So, I volunteer. I volunteer as tribute.