Getting my head out of my ass
My generation (especially singles, it seems) comes across as so selfish sometimes. We think we're entitled to the world served on a silver platter. Everything is always all about us. Our jobs (or lack thereof), our love lives (or lack thereof), our relationships, our interests. Sometimes I think we just need to get our head out of our ass and realize that there's a world out there that doesn't revolve around us.
Yes, life can be frustrating sometimes. But this is the case for everyone - why do we make it sound like we're the only ones with problems, or that our problems are more important than everyone else's? There are certainly people out there with problems far greater than ours. Why do we focus on ourselves so much?
Especially those of us that claim to believe that we're here for a reason. There may not be one definitive reason for why each one of us exist, but there are things we are here to do, that we're instructed to do. As an individual, we may not be able to change the world, but instead of focusing on ourselves at the center of our world, we could start placing more focus on that world that is around us. Heck, even if we don't claim to believe that we're here for a reason, that's still no excuse not to notice that each one of us and our problems are pretty small when compared with the greater problems in the world.
It's not a matter of doing some huge thing to change the whole world. It's more a matter of looking around us (outside of ourselves) to see what we can do to make a difference in our world, the world we've been given, been blessed with. Instead of being so consumed by our lives and our problems, I think if we start to focus on something greater - I think our problems would start to look less disheartening and less important.
I'm pretty guilty of all this myself. I mean, I think I'm less focused on all my problems right now - but only because I've been blessed and don't have as many. I have a good job, money, a car, good friends, a love life, a degree, a place to live, a good church, a good family - and on and on. Things are pretty right in my world, I can't really complain about much. But what am I doing to affect the world around me? Not a whole lot. I've been so busy being caught up in my life and my problems for so long that right now I've pretty much just been enjoying the fact that I don't have as many problems for the moment. Which means - perfect time to stop focusing on myself all the time!
I've spent some time the last year or so figuring out what I think and believe. I think I'm pretty solid now. I'm still learning and growing (and looking for opportunities to learn more), but I think I have a good foundation. I know where I'm at. Not that there isn't always more to learn, but I'm thinking that there's something to be said by learning from doing. Faith without works is dead, right? And I don't feel like I've been doing nearly enough. So I think I'm going to start considering that more. Feel free to hold me accountable to this, too. I'm looking around my world to see where I can make a difference. We'll see what pops up...
(to be continued??)
7 Comments:
A-friggin-men!
I may post a blog with a link to yours that says "what she said." :-)
Love life? This is the first I have heard of such things. Now tell me tne details or I will key you!
Most people have more than they need, but not as much as they want. This reminds me about how Buddhist’s believe that desire causes more desire, and desire causes suffering. You could also chalk it up to ambition and keeping up with the neighbors. There have also been some studies that shown that happiness is affected by your wealth relative those around you. …
Sure, everyone has problems… that doesn’t mean that I have to care about them. Looking back on my life, I have found that doing excessive good deeds has caused me nothing but trouble. I am starting to truly believe that I would have done the world more good if I had just blindly and wholeheartedly pursued my own desires. Kinda like the Invisible hand from capitalism.
But in the end, no one else has as much incentive to help you as you; and a lot of times you are all that you got. That’s why we value our problems more than others. Don’t forget that you can only give to others when you have something yourself.
I also wanted to comment on the “here for a reason” meme. I just wanted to mention again that people shouldn’t put the meaning of life outside of life itself. Find something that is important to you, and make that your meaning for life.
The way I see a lot of life and other things involved are about sacrifice. It's hard to believe things like that when the world is so one-dimensional and materialistic. Understanding and interacting with the world around us is a lost art in our generation....
Tom,
I'm sorry that you've had trouble from doing good deeds. One thing that I've tried to purpose to do (and I'm definitely not saying that you didn't do this!) is that when I do good deeds for people, I try to do them w/o expecting anything in return, even thanks. I try to do them just to do them, knowing that I'm helping someone, even if they aren't at all grateful for it. That's really hard.
I'm also not saying it isn't good to have your own goals and pursue them. Heck, look at me - I'm pretty darn proud of myself that I just finished college and got a job - two goals of my own that I worked hard for and have been pretty wrapped up in for the last several years of my life. And I don't regret that. I think there's enough time for all of that, though. I think we have time to accomplish our own goals while not becoming so completely wrapped up in ourselves that we cease to notice all the problems around us that we could be helping to solve and all the people around us that we could be blessing.
I also disagree with your statement "you can only give to others when you have something yourself". You don't need to "have" much of anything to give to others. We all have time to spend with people, words to say to encourage people, and hands to do things for people.
I do agree with this, though: "people shouldn’t put the meaning of life outside of life itself". No one can say 100% exactly what there is outside of this life. But we do know what we have IN this life. So why shouldn't we make what we do have count?
"I've spent some time the last year or so figuring out what I think and believe. I think I'm pretty solid now."
I'm glad to hear that. Though I may not have known how to express it much, I have been concerned about you, and so I've been praying for you.
The only problem with having your head in your ass is that your breath really smells at that point. I have been there, done that, and am working on the rest of the photoshoot on that topic. Of course if this is pointed out to me, the giver is most likely to receive the wrath of me.
So overall, my theology is written in pencil and trying to remember that God's word is in ink. I've been hit with many situations that trite cliches don't fit. That will be of ultimate benefit to the Kingdom's sake. Anyway, don't forget to dance like nobody's watching.
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