One of the great poets T.S. Eliot wrote this about the subject of experience: "We had the experience, but missed the meaning..." Yep. Happens all the time. Too often, in fact. If you ever want to get a much fuller understanding of the importance of our own life's experiences...please consider googling T.S. Eliot for his infamous quotations on this topic. He knew his stuff.
I spent this past weekend enjoying my high school's 45th reunion events. Outdoor parties on Friday, "main" event Saturday night, and breakfast yesterday morning. It was tremendous fun. It also contained a series of sobering moments...at least for me. There were former classmates there I hadn't seen since junior high school and/or early childhood. Although it is true that everything changes in spite of...it is also true that nothing changes IF nothing changes (within ourselves). As we age, we can't help but be side swiped by the realities of things happening to us that we'd rather NOT have happen! 49 of our former high school classmates are now deceased; just found out that another has been missing under suspicious circumstances for 19 years. How does this occur?! Well, it just does, that's all.
Today is what we have...and all that we have. Nobody is promised tomorrow. Easy to say, hard to remember as we squander the minutes, hours, weeks, months, and/or years away on...?? Who knows!? We all make our different choices. I can remember as a newly graduated high school student working my first "full time" and "professional" job in downtown Detroit---that I "lived" for the weekend. Wasn't there even a song about that back in the day? "Everybody's workin' for the weekend...!" Yep, that was me alright. Workin' for that weekend, and every weekend. Not that I was drinking or drugging my weekends away at that time...but whatever I chose to do...it represented "freedom" from my own "responsible" life.
I never liked the feeling of being out of control of my own faculties be them mental and/or physical in nature. I don't like feeling dizzy, or woozy, or nauseous. I don't like feeling fuzzy, or confused, or out of control with my emotions either. Calm and relaxed...of course that's all good. But jacked up and pissed off? That would be a "No thanks!" I saw it all this weekend. Just did. Saw smiling faces...heard the laughter...and of course wished it could last forever. Of course it never does. All one has to do is move over or down to the "next" group of people....or person...and then we are just as likely to experience something entirely different. My attitude has always been that if something is said or done to offend me personally...it is very important to say what you mean, mean what you say, don't say it mean, but say it on time.
I got to do that with a childhood bully from my old neighborhood. He had no idea who I was. When I referenced myself by the childhood nickname he used to bully me with...he couldn't have run away faster from the spot where he was standing. Grant it, I have heard about his life over the years to know he's already suffered enough for his own choices made...past and present. But has he learned much from his own experiences? I don't know! I was no more than a flea on some random dog's back in his life. And vice versa. But I hope when he heard me mention my own former nickname, he thought twice about calling ANYONE "fat" again from that moment on. If he gets and internalizes that memo from our brief exchange, he'll perhaps get and be better as a human being. We'll see...or rather, he will see. Not me; I'm out! ;-)
We all have value and purpose. We all have our ministries...our challenges...and our gifts. My own experiences have taught me to always speak the truth in love (or as close to love as I can get!) without twisting the importance of the truth because of a "bad" or "poor" presentation style. Even though I have the deepest and loudest voice ever and stand nearly 6' tall...I'm still a softie at heart. I truly want to help people through the trials and tribulations of their lives. However, I do NOT suffer fools gladly. An a**hole is still an a**hole especially when the a**hole is ignorant about his or her own status AS an a**hole. As such, don't be casting your pearls onto the swine because trampling is all they know---and all they do. Just saying!
On that note, have a great week ahead! Check yourself before you wreck yourself...and stay positive! Stay positive always!
...but keep speaking that truth as graciously as you can manage and you'll be good!
Until next post...
I spent this past weekend enjoying my high school's 45th reunion events. Outdoor parties on Friday, "main" event Saturday night, and breakfast yesterday morning. It was tremendous fun. It also contained a series of sobering moments...at least for me. There were former classmates there I hadn't seen since junior high school and/or early childhood. Although it is true that everything changes in spite of...it is also true that nothing changes IF nothing changes (within ourselves). As we age, we can't help but be side swiped by the realities of things happening to us that we'd rather NOT have happen! 49 of our former high school classmates are now deceased; just found out that another has been missing under suspicious circumstances for 19 years. How does this occur?! Well, it just does, that's all.
Today is what we have...and all that we have. Nobody is promised tomorrow. Easy to say, hard to remember as we squander the minutes, hours, weeks, months, and/or years away on...?? Who knows!? We all make our different choices. I can remember as a newly graduated high school student working my first "full time" and "professional" job in downtown Detroit---that I "lived" for the weekend. Wasn't there even a song about that back in the day? "Everybody's workin' for the weekend...!" Yep, that was me alright. Workin' for that weekend, and every weekend. Not that I was drinking or drugging my weekends away at that time...but whatever I chose to do...it represented "freedom" from my own "responsible" life.
I never liked the feeling of being out of control of my own faculties be them mental and/or physical in nature. I don't like feeling dizzy, or woozy, or nauseous. I don't like feeling fuzzy, or confused, or out of control with my emotions either. Calm and relaxed...of course that's all good. But jacked up and pissed off? That would be a "No thanks!" I saw it all this weekend. Just did. Saw smiling faces...heard the laughter...and of course wished it could last forever. Of course it never does. All one has to do is move over or down to the "next" group of people....or person...and then we are just as likely to experience something entirely different. My attitude has always been that if something is said or done to offend me personally...it is very important to say what you mean, mean what you say, don't say it mean, but say it on time.
I got to do that with a childhood bully from my old neighborhood. He had no idea who I was. When I referenced myself by the childhood nickname he used to bully me with...he couldn't have run away faster from the spot where he was standing. Grant it, I have heard about his life over the years to know he's already suffered enough for his own choices made...past and present. But has he learned much from his own experiences? I don't know! I was no more than a flea on some random dog's back in his life. And vice versa. But I hope when he heard me mention my own former nickname, he thought twice about calling ANYONE "fat" again from that moment on. If he gets and internalizes that memo from our brief exchange, he'll perhaps get and be better as a human being. We'll see...or rather, he will see. Not me; I'm out! ;-)
We all have value and purpose. We all have our ministries...our challenges...and our gifts. My own experiences have taught me to always speak the truth in love (or as close to love as I can get!) without twisting the importance of the truth because of a "bad" or "poor" presentation style. Even though I have the deepest and loudest voice ever and stand nearly 6' tall...I'm still a softie at heart. I truly want to help people through the trials and tribulations of their lives. However, I do NOT suffer fools gladly. An a**hole is still an a**hole especially when the a**hole is ignorant about his or her own status AS an a**hole. As such, don't be casting your pearls onto the swine because trampling is all they know---and all they do. Just saying!
On that note, have a great week ahead! Check yourself before you wreck yourself...and stay positive! Stay positive always!
...but keep speaking that truth as graciously as you can manage and you'll be good!
Until next post...