Hello, everybody!
Now I wasn't going to blow the whistle on this until we get it back and ready to roll (no pun intended.......oh yes it was) but I had a couple of things that reached my attention and I guess I just had to blog about it. Now, this will probably worry my graphics guy cause he did ask me just today how long it to for me to write these because they are so long. I told him it depended if I was on a soap box or not, not long if I was and longer if I wasn't. I'm not on a soap box so I guess I might as well start breakfast now.
Twice in one day I heard some things that just causes me to check for loose rocks in my head. I heard the word integrity thrown out while in the process of doing something that I personally would not consider very integrable. Kind of like being hit over the head with a ball bat while being told I ought to be more peaceful and understanding and that it was that lack of peacefulness and understanding that was forcing the bat to hit me. The other was similar by it's basic nature, claiming an inability to do or not do things. They lacked the substance to drive themselves to go after things they want. They would rather loose forever something that they, I believe, would really want and desire in their life but just couldn't muster the strength. Both situations are quite similar by nature because in both it would appear that something else was in control of their lives. Oh if you where to ask them they would say the old Dirty Harry line that they just know their limitations. But do we really? In many cases they would tell you they are sacrificing their own desires and happiness so that others wont be dragged down with them. What an honorable thing to do, kind of like throwing yourself on a hand grande. The object of throwing yourself on one of those is to SAVE the lives of those around you which at first glance would seem to support this sacrificing thing but let me offer another thought. I think that all to often we jump on the grande to give us a good excuse for not living for the things we truly want cause the pain inside is to great, the pain of failure, losing situations, or just the fear to have to do for others and they don't know how and it's just to hard to do anyway, or would be worth the effort because they will always feel they let others down. Instead of getting up, dusting themselves off and get right back at it over and over again, they would rather hold the pain and unhappiness inside and not let others know the truth about them. You know, they're a failure or an idiot, going with the Lincoln philosophy that it is better to keep your mouth shut and let everyone think your a fool as opposed to opening up your mouth and removing all doubt. Yea, I've been there. In fact that hotel keeps my room ready all the time. But that doesn't get you anywhere. If you keep taking photographs of one specific category and get to be perfect at it but never change and try new things perfection goes away and you just keep going down.
Another word that got dragged out was the word responsibility. This came the closest to traveling down the path of truth but just didn't quite make the full turn. They told the person they were talking to who they weren't responsible for but never said who they were responsible for. Both situations included the blame game on things that just weren't in their control. For one it was their "integrity" while the other blamed their lack of strength. Both may try to say that they where taking responsibility but where they really? How can you be responsible for something you have no control over. And that's where the rub comes into play. I don't like going to the doctor, dentist, or flying on a plane. I just don't do any of those and claim that I can't help it but eventually I do because the pain of not doing so is to great. Then somehow that thing that keeps me from doing gets replaced by me taking control and doing. How does that happen if I can't help it or I'm not in control. That's the rub, I am in control. I've just choose to allow things seemingly out of my control to take over so I am not responsible for the "big failure" if and when it comes.
As kids whenever we went someplace in a car someone would almost always yell "I call the shot gun seat". Why? Cause we thought that was the best seat (other then the drivers seat) since we weren't old enough to drive. We would talk big about how it would be as soon as we got our drivers licenses but we were to young to take that responsibility so we could talk big. When we got old enough to drive the first time most of us did it scared the hell of us cause we were afraid of the responsibility of were that 2 ton piece of steel was going. We had to work our way up to be able to get comfortable to handing the decisions of driving. But for some, they get so scared to try to drive that they choose to call the shot gun seat cause that's the next best seat they think. They're afraid of the responsibility and the possible crash they may have. So they turn their lives over to someone else so if they screw up, they may get hurt, but it wasn't their fault.
Folks, I may have talked a bit about my past life in law enforcement. I have spent a many hours in the real "shot gun seat" and I can tell you there is a lot of draw backs that you might not think of. Just take my word for it that letting others make the decisions about where and how you get somewhere and where they put you when you arrive is not a good thing! But even then, I had the control of my live by choosing to give that control to someone else who just might not handle things with my interest considered. Whether either one of these individuals know it or not, despite their protest both are in complete control of there lives and therefore responsible for where it goes or doesn't go and any disasters that come along. For one of them, I am afraid that they are allowing themselves to turn into a pinball bouncing from bumper to bumper and thereby missing out on what their Creator would like them to have. But because of their "I have no control over this", they are choosing to relinquishing the life they could have by calling the shot gun seat. The view from the shot gun seat is great until a call comes in. Then it gets really dicey. The driver can take you away from the very thing you need to survive the call. I wonder which choice is the right choice.
I won't have the luxury of having anyone riding with me, and that comes with some mixed emotions. On the one hand I will have to drive every mile myself. On the other hand I get to drive every mile myself and make the decisions where and how I go. I got to tell you that I feel better when I have control. I don't always like the responsibility but the consequences are more than not to great to not be in control or at least the best control you can have. If you don't control yourself then you are doomed to always going into the unknown without any say or control and that is what a lot of people fear most. It's the fear that makes you call the shot gun seat but it's you that have to live with the thought of "what if" for the rest of your life. You may still fail but at least you gave it your all. What's that saying, "don't die with your music in you". I would think that the cost of getting old only to find that you allowed something or someone to steel your life from you would be a near intolerable pain. Think about it! Knowing you have missed the very purpose for your life all because you choose to give away the control of your life, wow!
Folks, I'm not the poster boy for being in control all the time or making all the right moves and decisions, just ask my staff. We all make mistakes but giving away your life ain't one I want to do. I do fail at that from time to time but I, like all of us on God's earth, need to strive for what God has for us and it surely isn't riding the shoot gun seat of your life. He gave you a free choice and if that was to allow Him to direct your driving, then that's what He intended. But you still have the choice to allow something or someone else take the wheel. You have that responsibility whether you claim it or not. Don't grow old out of control and unhappy. Get behind the wheel, take control, and drive, drive, drive!
Well that's it for me today. Have a great day everyone!
Richard
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