Left behind…
Had an interesting conversation with a guy who does the cleaning around my work about all sorts of things, and we have some good conversations about things that you wouldn’t think an old guy like him would talk about. I’m pleasantly surprised every time I have a conversation with him, as it challenges my perceptions of people. Not being derogatory in any way, as I genuinely like the guy, but I love being surprised by people being interested in things you wouldn’t think they’d be interested. In.
Hmmmmm.
But as I was saying, we were talking about all sorts of things, and one thing that got me thinking a little bit was a comment that he made – about keeping up with technology or we would be left behind. And it got me thinking about how much of what I would like to own is because of this desire not to be left behind, as opposed to it actually being useful in my life and helping me to accomplish my goals.
And I wonder if it is that feeling of being left behind that causes a lot of panic or causes us to rush through things or makes us want to give up on certain things or even makes us want to give up some of our dreams.
I know for me that sometimes looking around and seeing where the people around me are at and what they have and own and do causes me to wonder if I’m pursuing the wrong goals in life or want to buy new things to match them or that I’m not progressing at the same pace as someone else and so I stop because all of a sudden I’m being left behind… and it all becomes a competition that is not spoken of explicitly and I get caught in comparing everything and get sucked into a value vacuum where the things that I value don’ t seem all that valuable any more. And I get depressed a little. And I lose my reference. And my peace. And my contentment.
Because I’m being left behind. In the car department. In the girlfriend department. In the buying a house department. In the fitness department. In the technology department.
But I know that down that road I will never find contentment. Because there will always be someone I know who drives a better, flashier, more powerful car than me. Someone will get a better deal on a house than me. Someone will always be more determined and naturally more fit than me. Someone will always have the latest computer/phone/gadget before they are even out in lil ‘ol NZ.
But if I keep looking around me at everything but at what I actually have, and make use of that to the best of my ability, then I don’t think I’ll ever get anywhere. And instead of being worried about being left behind because of what I don’t have, I think I’m going to try and keep moving forward making full use of what I do have. And pursuing the things that I enjoy.
So that was my random thought for the day. Tell me yours! =D
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7. September 2009 at 02:46
yay you blogged Silas!
I’ve also thought about the very same things – about whether I’ll ever be content with what I have. It’s taken me this thought process to realise that I cannot always be looking at what others have and I don’t, as there will always be a greater height that I can never reach;
but to remember– as mediocre as I think my life (and the situations and surroundings that come with it) is, there are others out there who will look at me and desire to have what I have and to live the life I live.
So I’ve resolved that I need to appreciate what I have and to value it for what it’s worth from the perspective of those who look at me and say ‘wow, I want what she has’ – then I can be truly content.
thanks for blogging about this.. it’s jolted me in the right direction to start off the week!
14. September 2009 at 09:08
Thanks, again a late reply – but i know you’ll forgive me. You’re probably the only one who reads this blog lol, but that’s ok, I’m writing this stuff mainly for me. So that I can think through some of the stuff – that seems to work for me somehow.
I’m glad that it has helped =D. Blessings.