The Biggest Loser: Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep said it herself — Y’all are probably sick of me by now.

Okay. Well, she didn’t say it quite like that, but take away the southern accent and that pretty much sums up what she said after being awarded her third Oscar for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.

“When they called my name, I had this feeling I could hear half of America going, ‘Oh no. C’mon! Her, again?’ You know. But, whatever,” Streep said.

I couldn’t help but wince a little for the other nominees. I mean there was remarkable talent among the bunch — Michelle Williams, Viola Davis, Glenn Close, Rooney Mara.

Don’t you imagine that Glenn Close felt like the bridesmaid once more? She’s been nominated for the Oscar six times and has yet to win. Sure it’s an honor being nominated but let’s face it, sometimes a girl just wants the public accolades for working so dang hard for so darn long.

Boys feel that way, too.

Streep knew that the viewing public would  likely have been more excited if Glenn Close had taken home the Oscar. If Viola Davis had won it, the audience may have all be over the moon about it. Halle Berry is the only black woman in history to have won an Academy Award for Best Actress.

It’s easy enough to look at the number of awards Meryl Streep has earned and think, Sit down already. Give somebody else a chance.

But to focus on Streep’s three wins is to ignore completely that she’s been the nominee on fourteen other occasions.

Another way to look at it is that Meryl Streep is the biggest loser to ever win the Oscar three times.

We are so wired to notice the winners among us that we hardly pay attention to how much losing they do along the way.

What sets the winner apart isn’t the trophy they take home.

It’s their perseverance.

Their determination.

Their passion and discipline to their craft.

Today’s winners are always yesterday’s losers.

They are the people who continue to pursue their passion even when the books don’t sell and the house doesn’t sell out.

“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life …So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.”  Galatians 6: 4, 5 & 9 The Message.