There is nothing more beautiful in this world than a dream come true. We all know what a dream looks like, in whatever form we mold it to resemble. It starts as a spark, barely visible yet brilliant. We breathe our life into its very soul and give this thing born from within us wings. As time wanders ever on, it grows as our experiences do. Sometimes that’s where these dreams rest. Perhaps we grew out of them, perhaps they outgrew us, or perhaps we found something new to chase. Who knows why life takes us where it does? But some of these dreams – a select few – latch onto us in ways we will never understand. They will not let us stray. So, we fight for them.
We work. We claw. We cry. We move mountains off their very foundations and walk to the ends of the Earth. We believe.
Our dreams give us energy. They give us purpose. They drive us to be versions of ourselves we could only ever imagine and provide us with goals very few will ever conquer. Made strong by sheer will and determination to be what we’ve always wanted to be, nothing will stop those destined to not only see their dream come true but be that very dream themselves. Because that’s when life is at its most wonderful, when hearts are limitless – barriers be damned.
Some dreamers reach the mountaintop quickly. Some don’t. Some others still never do. The result of such a journey is not an indictment on one’s character, drive, or passion. We dream because we wish better for ourselves. Whether we seek happiness, adventure, security, love, or more, we attack because we believe. With dreams in hand or not, we stand tall because we believe, and by believing, we help others to do the same.
One person who stands tall, who worked for years, who inspires all those around him, and whose path wasn’t near as direct as some, is All Elite Wrestling’s own, Ethan Page.
Success is what we make it. Nobody can decide that about anyone else. Yet, in the wrestling business, so often are we led to believe that success is an endgame that most will never reach. One company doesn’t decide one’s worth. One person. One match. One word. None of that! Ethan Page makes a living proving that success manifests in many ways. He kept his dream in his back pocket and safely stored it there while he set to storm the frontlines of the wrestling world. It has been a number of years, but the barrage is still incoming, and I expect it will be for some time more.
One of the most creative and unique minds in wrestling today, Ethan has built himself into an undeniable force. He is a shining example of what is possible if one believes, works hard, and dedicates a pure heart to a business that sometimes eats those for breakfast. Armed with a smile that can melt even the blackest in existence, he owns himself and his journey. He’s proud of where he came from and of the road that he walked to get to AEW. But he doesn’t discount what came before. He knows he wouldn’t be standing where he is today without every stop, every match, every handshake, and every fan who helped him grow his dream into the reality it is.
This isn’t the end though. This isn’t just any mountaintop. Perhaps it’s not even a mountaintop at all but just another summit on the way to a dream he hasn’t even fully formed yet. That’s the best thing about dreams, isn’t it? They are ever evolving, just like those who send them out into the world as tiny but limitless possibilities in a future unknown.
A clip from his vlog months ago, shortly after his debut in All Elite Wrestling resonates with me still and will for some time I imagine. He walks through the backstage area of Daily’s Place in Jacksonville with Eddie Kingston, sharing smiles and laughs. As he does, he makes sure to mention to his friend and colleague that it’s different for them, that their journeys are special. The appreciation for what it takes for a dream to be realized lives deeper in the hearts of those who have fought longer and harder. Eddie agrees, though admits he still waits every day for the other shoe to drop.
It’s a light moment granted, especially in a vlog meant to be light and funny, but it’s one that speaks volumes to the character of both gentlemen. It shows their hearts in a way that is special and unique. It lets us inside, if only for a minute, and honors that journey. It’s a journey that every wrestler has. It varies greatly, sure. But they all have that story, whether five pages long or five hundred.
Some, like Eddie jokes about, live on a razor’s edge after years of being overlooked and underestimated, wondering if it’s all real or deserved even when it so clearly is from the outside. Others feel they have the world at their fingertips and exist seemingly bulletproof. There is no right or wrong answer, because while the existence at the top is exciting and fulfilling, the journey holds the true story. The journey holds the heart.
Ethan Page’s journey can be seen every time he’s on screen in his smile. It can be heard in his laugh and felt in his matches. The respect he holds for his position in the industry is as immense as his presence inside of it. It’s apparent he was meant to be exactly where he is today. That doesn’t mean it was easy, or that it came without sacrifice. It’s those who appreciate where they came from that can truly recognize the magnitude of where they are. Ethan is that guy.
I don’t believe Ethan takes his position lightly. On the other side, I don’t think he believes for one second that he doesn’t belong. The world is a fragile place. The wrestling world is even more so. An injury away from uncertainty. A tweet away from cancelation. A breath away from the unknown. He is home in AEW and while he has worked for years to arrive there, he’s been home in our hearts and minds since the start.
Time is a concept too deep to truly appreciate in full. We’re here for a sliver of it – a razor’s edge. Ethan Page has unlocked the secret into making that sliver of time the most glorious possible, all because he had a dream and didn’t let the world tell him, “No.”
From a dreamer on the razor’s edge to a star on the Ego’s Edge. All because he dreamed a dream and worked hard to bring it to life.
It’s a pretty amazing thing, don’t you think?