Hey everyone, here's a positive and forward looking piece from a very good friend of mine. I'm glad to see his/her words on paper (so to speak).
Inhale deeply. Slow your heart.
While some of my friends would say I'm personable and can get along with most anyone thrown into my path, I feel my nature and optimism gets construed as a person without worry, fear, doubt, pains, simply because I try to be a kind person even while chaos erupts through my life. I know there are others like me out there, some probably even reading these words right now. The bright and happy person whom everyone perceives as having a great, maybe even perfect life. Never truly understanding that we are human and we have the same emotions as the person throwing a grand spectacle.
I recall when I was younger, how often I heard and thought things would be easier when I got older. Things will be easier once I finish college. Things will be easier when I get the job I want and live where I want. The only problem was it was the greatest lie ever told to me. Once we have the education, the career, the basic securities of life, there is only one direction to look, and that's inside. Inside the very depth and soul of your character and your being, and true introspection is one of the greatest gifts and burdens given to us by our heavenly father. Because at that moment, we are forced to confront the true fears of life, they aren't employment or material possessions, they are the eternal life bonds that make this life worth living. Family, Christ, faith, friends, the things that actually require work and sweat and blood, never can you walk into a room take a two hour test and walk out knowing you'll have never to deal with the difficulty of human emotions relating to loss. No that joy is reserved for college classes, I've taken so many exams that I cursed, but the ironic thing is two years after completing my higher education, I barely remember a word of those exams. You know what I do remember, you know what echoes through my mind and soul, every word I've ever said in spite to someone or the words I never said to those I cared about because of my own doubt and fears. Those are what pang me, those are what keep me up at night.
So yes, from outside appearance I am happy, I have a great life that many claim they "wish they had" but I promise you, be content with what you have. Never envy others for a moment, because they have the EXACT same fears as you, possibly even worse simply because the minor worries of their life have passed and all that lay before them are the grand ideas encompassing our true lives. But since finding myself in my faith, I must say that these issues become worth it, every tear, every drop of blood, every bead of sweat, I wouldn't trade a second of it. It has molded me into someone I am proud to be, someone who can see life in a grander, I'll be it more daunting, scale.
I encourage you to look inside, face what we all fear most, and then run at it. Headstrong, confident, with every emotion on your sleeve and shatter the barriers you believe you have. When you challenge your own introspection you grow by the greatest measure, my friend Greg and I have had many a heart felt conversations on this topic and we always reach that conclusion. If I'm not falling on the ground asking why is this so hard, then it wasn't worth it!
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
Boom.
Positive Power. Keep fighting.
The Oilfield Romantic and Friends
If anyone has anything they'd like to share with the rest of the class...don't be timid! It can be anonymous if you want it to be.
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