Monday, June 6, 2011

The need for more....

"Let go of your need to have more. When you stop needing more of everything, more of what you desire seems to arrive in your life. Since you're detached from the need for it, you find it easier to pass it along to others, because you realize how little you need in order to be satisfied and at peace." - Dr. Wayne Dyer

So this won't necessarily be about me and running, since well, there has been none of that lately.  I do however have an appointment in the morning with a sports doctor at Max Sports Medicine, so we shall see what bad news he has in store for me.  (Ok, Ok, I know, I know...positive thoughts...but as each days goes, the pain worsens and the optimism seeps away.)

Reading a friends blog got me thinking and it's only fitting that I saw this quote today from Wayne Dyer.  My friend Beau is a teacher and recently blogged about some stories from his first year teaching in the "suburbs" after years of teaching in the "ghetto" (not sure if that is politically correct or not or even the proper term, but let's just say it's not somewhere you want to hang out at night).  Now there is a difference in school systems between inner city and the suburbs, but the goal is still the same.  Reach out to as many kids as you can and help them learn and grow.  Beau is the type of person who wants to get to everyone, reach everyone and help them all.  If even one fails, I think he looks on it as a failure in himself.  I have always mentioned to him to look for the positives, even as small as they may be.  Sure, it would be great to get the whole class to "get it".  But rather than be disappointed when the whole class doesn't, be proud in the few that get it.  Revel in that small success....Why let the accomplishment of what you just did, be ruined in wanting more.
Now granted I am not a teacher (unless a year of majoring in elementary education in college and a semester partial student teaching counts, which of course it doesn't...lol), but as a teacher your success is not based on how many A's your kids get.  In my opinion success is about touching someones mind and making a difference in their lives.  Doesn't have to be everyone, even one kid would be a "success".

In my ramblings, I guess where I am going is that we always seem to want more.  But why is that?  More success, more money, more toys, more free time, more wins for our sports teams.  Sometimes people don't take the time to step back and appreciate what they have accomplished or what they have.
People get success and immediately they want more.  Is it because of egos?  Is it selfish?  People get money and immediately want more.  Is it greed?  People get free time and immediately want more.  Rather than enjoy the time they just had, they tend to forget about it and quickly just wish for more.  Even with sports teams.  Our favorite team wins a game, but rather than enjoy the victory, the thinking goes to the next game and having to win that or it won't be good enough.  The season ends and rather than look at the positive, people tend to wish they did better.
I'm not trying to sound hypocritical.  Don't get me wrong, wanting more is good.  I'm not saying to just settle and be happy....We always need to push ourselves, set a goal to strive for.  We need to always push ourselves to learn and grow as a person.  Let's face it, if you aren't growing, you are not living....We need to learn to not settle, something I have trouble doing myself. 
BUT along the way we need to realize that this IS our only chance at this thing called life and in order to enjoy it, we need to avoid getting caught up in "always" wanting more and step back and appreciate what you have once you get it.  Sometimes realizing that makes all those little annoyances that go on in our life seem irrelevant.

Live life, love life....Once it's over, what you have doesn't really matter...It's not about you, but about the lives you've touched.

Until next time....

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