Boy, do I have some Tales to Tell...
I don't claim to understand everything. I just happen to know a lot. Mostly about things. Nothing overly important. Just things. Things that happen to make my life much easier.
I'm not sure if my life is made easier with my knowledge. Or if because I have made my life simpler, I am open to absorbing such knowledge. I firmly believe that you cannot fully be open to learning if you can't let go of some things.
I'm not talking about being mad about that raise you did not get, or that boyfriend that didn't work out. I'm fine with people being bitter about that. I'm talking about holding on to prejudices and expectations that were either developed early in life or placed upon us by people in our past.
Somewhere, I let go of worrying about what people expect me to do. I let go of worrying about what people think of me. I'm not evil. I can be manipulative. We all can. But I mean no harm. Unless you force me to. I'm not sure why I meet a lot of people who worry about how they are perceived. I think we should worry less on what people think and more on what our conscience thinks.
I don't mind you being selfish. One has to look out for oneself. What I do want is for everyone to do right by all. Help out when you can. Give more than receive. Be nice. Be present. Be honest.
Often, I deal with people who are oblivious to the other person's feelings. I don't get it because they want to be treated nicely but don't notice how poor their own behavior is. Listen: make sure you get what you want. But in the process, try being human. It works out much better. One appreciates honest behavior more than anything else.
A co-worker of mine told me today that she describes me as nasty-nice. She added that she considers that a compliment and aspires to be like me one day. Most people would take exception to the "nasty" part. But I don't. I may be snarky but when it all washes out, we all end up with the proper outcome with nobody harmed. And I am honest about it all.
And even if you don't always get what you want, even if it's not what you necessarily wanted to happen, understanding that it was the honest thing to do makes life much easier. Later.
Here's the scenario: you have this really good friend. Someone who are your proud to be friends with. Someone who you talk highly about. Someone who you would do much for. But your really good friend is friends with someone who you find... well, not so interesting. You might even go as far as to say you find this person intolerable. And you are not alone in saying this.
Do you find yourself asking, "What does that say about me when my friend is friends with someone who I can't stand?" Does it mean that you are changing? Or does it mean that your really good friend is changing? Just wondering. Later.
Our society wastes so much time and energy on things that we should not. So, I've taken the liberty of listing what I think is a waste of time and energy and how we should better invest it.
- Take the money we spend on war and spend it on educating our children properly.
- Instead of investing time into opposing same-sex marriage, how about using it to teach tolerance and acceptance.
- Stop hanging out with people who are not healthy for you. Take that time to work on bettering yourself rather than letting them take you down.
- Why not take the time spent twittering and use it to learn how to cook.
- Instead of bitching and moaning about how fat you are, take that time and learn how to cook a healthy meal.
- Stop shopping for the latest gadget and start shopping for sustainable, healthy foods.
- Maybe take the time to catch up/laugh with a friend instead of watching reality television.
- Instead of going out for a cocktail, how about going out to a dance class.
- You spend so much on rent/mortgage, try spending some time in your home rather than at a store, the gym, or, worst of all, at work.
I always hear people complain about their lack of time or energy to do good things for themselves. I always laugh because they seem to find time to do all the other wasteful projects in their lives. Somewhere in my life, I decided to make sure that everything I do has some sort of benefit for me. It may sound impossible. Even cheesy. Even selfish. But, I will say this: once you learn how to do so, everything becomes easier to achieve. Think about it. Later.
Before I become totally jaded and hateful of this holiday season, let me be the first to say what I am most thankful for this year. I am most thankful for achieving the opportunity to work for someone who values my work. It's not often you work for someone who respects you as a peer, as a friend, and as a person with a valid and valuable opinion when it comes to work and life.
I am often asked why I have not become more than I am at work. I am not always sure if that is meant as a compliment. But, my answer has always been the same. I just don't want to do anything else than what I currently am doing. Despite all it's insanity, I do feel that I am in a position that most suits my skills, talent, and desire. But no matter how much I feel that way, nothing matters more to me than who I work for.
I don't know if I will be where I am forever. But if I am, I hope I work for her. She hired me into the company and I have come full circle. Kinda like being home. What's even more amazing is that there are a bunch of us who feel the same way.
So, thanks somebody. Thanks for bringing her into my life. Funny how when you think it's just almost all over, something shines in and makes it better. Later.
