Thursday, June 11, 2009

The character of our beings




Life is full of the unexpected. Such a cliché, yet so true! What we expect to happen, what we want to happen, what actually does happen, and what it means to us later in our lives ... the perceptions and desires all change so drastically over the course of weeks, months and years. It molds and develops the character of our beings ... it bakes into us the attitudes we carry with us today.

Our focus on economics, relationships, personal goals and development ... these basic ingredients all participate in what we offer our families, friends and communities. What life has given us shapes our beliefs that we live by, expecting to accomplish what we set out to do, whether it is bringing home the bacon or having that next relationship ... or, being angry and drowning our sorrows in that next glass of whatever, or puffing/snorting/shooting up whatever is the drug of choice, or being a workaholic, narcissistic, pessimistic, angry, a sex-addict, etc. We trust in the Bernie Madoffs in this world, and then we find out we were actually being lied to all along!

"We become, too late, smart and are too dumb when young" paraphrases a joke I often hear. Impatience, lack of knowing what tomorrow brings ... all of these have an impact on our actions of today. Too often, it seems, the phrase, "If I had only known ... " reflects our lack of knowing our best course of actions. The real estate meltdown, the economic meltdown, our country in turmoil, the divorces, the disappointments that reflect that activity that permeates our country and societies demonstrate that quite effectively.

Having a strong, well reasoned foundation will help take that heat and passion of youth and turn it into something marvelous, something wholesome and healthy for us to live by. We are able to let the experiences of our lives turn from disappointment and regret into something marvelous ... the power of truth in our lives. We must protect the ingredients of our lives with honor and intelligence!

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