One Way or Another
There is much to be said about building hopes and dreams. It actually is a vital part to our existence. So I ask, when is it no longer hopes and dreams, and no longer a positive, motivating and uplifting driving force. I sit day by day building myself for an unknown future, with expectations of perfect health and an ability to again one day train, resulting from dedicated and relentless self abuse a.k.a. physical therapy and doctors appointments, repetition after repetition, battle after battle, fall after fall.
I have always been a dreamer but to make up for many regrets and to overcome doubts, I create hopeless expectations, that may be realistic in some other realm or dimension, but only breed failure, frustration and disappointment. It makes it very difficult to identify the victories along the journey when a timeline or bench mark isn't achieved. The old saying, "It's better to shoot for the moon and miss, you will still be among the stars," drives apart of me crazy, thinking that is an easy excuse for failure; while the other, the optimistic side, is able to look back and see the journey.
So I guess I turn this over to all who are reading this, what is the right answer? Are expectations a positive and a good way to judge progress and results? Or is it simply better to live in the moment and like William Shakespeare said: "Expectation is the root of all heartache."
I know the correct answer lies in the middle, there needs to be the accountability factor that comes with high unyielding expectations, while along the path, not forgetting every day is it's own victory and celebrating and like always, find joy. I guess this is another blessing of having friends and battle buddies along the path, to be that accountable force, but also to point out the underlying wins and necessary celebrations.
I still turn to all reading and following, where should the scale tip, and at what times are the variances the right or wrong direction?
- Nate Taylor
I think you’re just amazing to have this good of an attitude at this point. When I got cancer, I was angry and hopeless very early on. And they told me I had a 98% chance of survival. But I was mad it happened at all. I was mad to not be “normal”. Looking back (and around), I see that 50% of my high school has had cancer and all with way better attitudes than mine. At this point, I’m falling in the “normal” category. I think rolling with the punches is the best strategy. Having achievable goals, but realizing that ultimately, this is your path. Your path (unfortunately) is now to inspire others. To become that battle buddy. The guy you met in the hospital that you figured had it way worse than you, you’re that guy to someone else, to me, at the very least! And you will keep being that guy. I think sometimes our goals can be high, but they might look differently than they originally did.
ReplyDeleteI think as you stated, the right place is found some place in the middle. We should shoot for our largest dreams and strive with all purpose to reach them. When we do fall short, for whatever the reason, we do, however, need to be able to recognize the growth and blessings we have received, not necessarily from reaching the goal but from the journey of trying to get there.
ReplyDeleteThere will always be worthwhile goals and desires in our lives that we wish to strive for that despite our best efforts and wishes are just not part of the Lord's plan for us or will not lead us to where we need to end up. That doesn't make the temporary journey we went on a waste of time. The question always come back to, what did I learn. As you well know we have been counseled to keep a journal of our lives and I believe this to be one of the primary reasons for that counsel. When we are going through a rough time because we didn't achieve what we thought was best, or when we are traveling down one road and the Lord suddenly changes our plans for us, we can look back through that journal and see what we have gained and how we have changed for the better.
Always remember you are not alone on your journey and that you as frustrating as things are you will always have people for whom you don't need to wear the " everything is fine" mask and you can relax and breath. You have an army behind you all saying, "we have your back brother".