WHAT does dedication mean to you? Defined as the act of being fully devoted to something, historically, the word had specific religious connotations but has since evolved to also mean having a sense of purpose.
Nowadays, dedication is often conflated with having, or setting, goals. Is it good to have goals, to be dedicated, to have a reason for living.
And in a related way, we can look at the recent European football tournament where we saw the pure dedication of all the teams involved. Remember, it isn’t always about winning but the effort you put into it too.
We can also think of the global Covid-19 crisis and the dedication of scientists to develop vaccines so quickly as well as the healthcare staff, from surgeons to the hospital cleaners, the dedication of all the staff has been amazing.
Justice Smith. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
We asked our cover stars what dedication means to them. US actor and activist Justice Smith says, “Being clear about what you want and then willing it.”
Andrew Garfield. Photograph: Michael Schwartz
While Anglo-American actor Andrew Garfield added, “I love the word ‘dedication’ – it reminds me of sacrifice. And sacrifice means to make something sacred. I’m a big fan of dedication in that way – dedication to the thing that we can’t help but be dedicated to.”
Asa Butterfield. Photograph: Rosaline Shahnavaz
And British actor Asa Butterfield thinks, “Dedication is being committed to an act or an idea and actively trying to champion it,”
NCT 127. Photograph: Heehyun Oh
To Yuta of K-pop mega-group NCT 127 it means, “Dedication is about not giving up when it’s hard and going all in.” His band mate Johnny tells Glass Man, “Dedication means a lot for our members too, but what it means to us, and our fans, is so much more. That’s why we give all we have into each and every one of our performances.” Finally, Mark, a third band member, says, “Just like plants grow well when the soil is wet, I think dedication is what keeps us growing. It’s accomplishing something with passion to achieve complete satisfaction.”
Glass Man wishes you all have the best of autumns.
Caroline Simpson
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