Thursday, June 30, 2011

Putting your best foot forward

I was less busy sometime back and while I was checking my facebook account, I decided to use the friend finder to find some long lost friends. As I scrolled down the page, what struck me was that there were no pictures of anyone crying, grieving, or having those sorts of emotions. Most of the faces were either smiling, laughing or just looking straight at the camera. I then thought to myself, "is it that none of these people experience sorrow, hardship, heartbreak and the likes?" Or is it a case of everyone trying to put their best feet forward?
Well, just as we know that even the most beautiful girl in the world uses the toilet, every event of life happens to everyone in different ways and to different extents. Putting one's best foot forward is a saying which means to present to the world or one's audience one's good sides, strengths, lovable/admirable aspect of one's being. It doesn't mean that one doesn't have weaknesses or flaws but it does mean we love to be seen at our best, as doing well, beautiful, endearing and in an interview session as intelligent, brilliant and very capable. Who doesn't like that?
As much as we create the impression of who we are through pictures, CVs and other means, our character remains what they are and no matter how beautiful the impression we create is, it only takes a chance meeting, bumping into, overhearing, to reveal our true self (that person who we really are when there are no cameras, when the lights are off, when no one is watching and when we are alone with our thoughts) to others.
It's good to put one's best foot forward but it's better to ensure that the other foot isn't too far away.
Have a lovely weekend!!

Monday, June 6, 2011

It’s getting exciting!

Have you ever been excited? Perhaps you won a lottery, bought a nice car, moved to a lovely apartment, had your first baby, built your own house, got your dream job, married your sweetheart, visited an exotic place, bought a new gadget, discovered your passion, got saved, went shopping (till you dropped), threw a successful party? The list is endless. At least one of the above must have happened to you so you know what I mean by “excitement”. How long did it last?

I sat wondering this morning why all the excitement when it all goes away in a short while (within few days or months at a max.). So what does that tell us? Whatever it is we get excited about usually come with some responsibilities afterward and many people do not love the “work” associated.  If you bought a nice car, soon you’ll realize you need to service, fuel and maintain it. If only there was car that you do not have “do” anything about and it just starts whenever you turn the key in the ignition. Wouldn’t you just love it? Wouldn’t the excitement last longer? But I tell you, even with this, you will eventually wish you had a car that you do not have to walk to, insert the key or turn the steering and so you get less excited about the car. Even for those who have drivers who maintain the car and drive them in it, they will eventually fancy the car less after a while and wish for another newer model of the same make or another.

Or perhaps you had your first child, oh the joy of cuddling that little angel in your arms. Then you realize your sleep ration is cut short dramatically, you need to clean up poop, you need to sacrifice going to a function to stay with the sick little one or that you can’t buy as many jewelries or gadgets as you would love to because there’s a third person. And someone told you it even gets more difficult when that little one becomes a teenager……

Or could it be that you got saved and you felt like walking in the air (personal experience) and you just couldn’t believe the peace and joy that came over you. But after a little while you don’t feel that same way. Of course you are still saved but you begin to realize that there’s work to be done, there are conscious choices to be made to do right, there is a change of mindset required, there are times of trials and tribulations and that you must “work it out” with fear and trembling.

We can clearly see that excitement comes with either material (as buying a new shoe) thing or immaterial (as conversion of faith) but in both cases we see it wear out after a while. It then means that the initial excitement is not enough, we need to “keep up” with the responsibilities associated with the object of such excitement and come to a place of a more meaningful emotion that could last longer. Many try to “keep the excitement up” by shopping every week, changing jobs/cars every six months because they feel like a jerk after the IGG (slang – Initial Gra Gra (gra gra is pidgin for excitement)) is gone. They are still in possession of the “thing” but they “feel” it’s not as new, shiny, fulfilling, motivating, challenging as before. Little wonder that the psalmist prayed “restore unto me the joy of my salvation”. He must have felt flat and empty after a while.

My little girl would rather it was her birthday every single day (if only she knew that everyday is not Christmas). The excitement of the last party she had was gone and she’d love to revive that feeling by throwing another one. You can actually see a similarity between my little girl and some adults who shop every week or change jobs flippantly.  

Responsibility is actually response-ability or ability to choose your response. We can choose to get excited about the “works” associated with the object of our initial excitement. That way, the excitement will go on a longer journey with us.

Enjoy your week! (wink wink). And thanks for stopping by.

If you noticed, I haven’t written a post since April, I also need to get excited about the works. Lol