Where's your bling?
I have arrived at 50 years of age with an urge to begin measuring things in my life. I know that many people have been keeping score far longer or earlier than that but I often get to parties late.
I have told myself forever that I prefer to use a different yardstick to measure. On many levels I know this to be an cop out, a method of insuring I can't be failing if I am not playing by the same rules. It also is a way to mask my laziness!
But on other levels, the older I get, the more I realize that perhaps the way I have been measuring things around me is an appropriate measure of how one uses a lifetime. For isn't that what ultimately it comes down to? What did you do with your time here?
I am never going to be rich monetarily. I don't have the drive to put the effort into that. I admire those that do in many ways. The people that know how to make money usually are very good at getting things done. They complete things. They have self discipline and use it.
Many people that haven't reached my age seem to look at the stuff which surrounds one as a measure of how they are doing. Car parked outside. House bigger than you need. Really nice designer clothes. Lifestyle. Accessories such as the iPhone or pretty jewelry.
It has become fashionable to not speak about such things since the current economic downturn began. People are competing now to see who can be least conspicuous in the display of wealth. But they are still looking and measuring.
I have so many blessings around me that it is difficult to not fall into the trap of taking them for granted. I look at the men I know that are nearing the end of their lives (over 80). Most of them have been retired for quite a while now but have not stopped living. Almost all of them now treasure time as much as anything. Especially time spent with family, friends and doing things they love. There is a peacefulness that surrounds them. I know not every moment of their day is perfect. Many have illnesses or other conditions which could easily stress out someone. Rarely do I hear those I admire most complaining about it. Instead, their bling is in the intangibles. It shows and it gives me hope that perhaps I can learn from them. Maybe I can achieve a level of contentedness that rivals theirs. In fact, I would say that overall I am pretty happy with waking up everyday.
So, my question for you is, are you happy? Where is your bling?
I have told myself forever that I prefer to use a different yardstick to measure. On many levels I know this to be an cop out, a method of insuring I can't be failing if I am not playing by the same rules. It also is a way to mask my laziness!
But on other levels, the older I get, the more I realize that perhaps the way I have been measuring things around me is an appropriate measure of how one uses a lifetime. For isn't that what ultimately it comes down to? What did you do with your time here?
I am never going to be rich monetarily. I don't have the drive to put the effort into that. I admire those that do in many ways. The people that know how to make money usually are very good at getting things done. They complete things. They have self discipline and use it.
Many people that haven't reached my age seem to look at the stuff which surrounds one as a measure of how they are doing. Car parked outside. House bigger than you need. Really nice designer clothes. Lifestyle. Accessories such as the iPhone or pretty jewelry.
It has become fashionable to not speak about such things since the current economic downturn began. People are competing now to see who can be least conspicuous in the display of wealth. But they are still looking and measuring.
I have so many blessings around me that it is difficult to not fall into the trap of taking them for granted. I look at the men I know that are nearing the end of their lives (over 80). Most of them have been retired for quite a while now but have not stopped living. Almost all of them now treasure time as much as anything. Especially time spent with family, friends and doing things they love. There is a peacefulness that surrounds them. I know not every moment of their day is perfect. Many have illnesses or other conditions which could easily stress out someone. Rarely do I hear those I admire most complaining about it. Instead, their bling is in the intangibles. It shows and it gives me hope that perhaps I can learn from them. Maybe I can achieve a level of contentedness that rivals theirs. In fact, I would say that overall I am pretty happy with waking up everyday.
So, my question for you is, are you happy? Where is your bling?
posted by Kurt at 3:01 PM
1 Comments:
As one of my many refrigerator magnets says "The best things in life are not things."
That is how it should be.
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