I'm Always Learning...

Never neglect the great wisdom you can recieve from others. Doesn’t that sound simple enough? Unless we live under a rock we will daily have contact with people. People who may be very different from us are the ones that will give us the biggest surprise on learning. A majority of the things you learn will come from the people you least expect. The rich man on the hill can learn a simple lesson of compassion from the bum in the alley. Whomever we learn from it is the most important to glean from the ones least expected.
How can one be so ungrateful? Those are the words that I repeated to myself over and over this fine day in the month of May. My every thought clouded with such guilt and shame for taking my perfectly capable mind for granted. My selfish and lazy nature was put into check and again I was reminded of how fortunate I really am. It was a typical and ordinary day at Starbucks reading and studying when at the next table a semi-handicapped man sat at his laptop, typing very carefully, a paper of some sort. I began to search deeper and seen a stack of schoolbooks lying next to him. Folders with other papers in them lay atop a table and a bag that held them all lie next to his chair on the floor. He wore a pair of earphones on his head and fiddled with his coffee in between sentences of typing. I realized that he was a special learning student at the college I attend. I instantly sank with shame realizing how I was dreading my own homework, papers, speeches and tests that I had to complete that day.
This particular man seemed to possess such a joy and satisfaction from all of his studies. Even in the midst of his struggles with typing his paper, which is such a simple task for me, he seemed to have a certain peace about working at his own pace. Perfectly capable in my own way to excel in life and gain a higher education without the set-back of many special needs that some have, I came to the conclusion of the attitude that many seem to harbor from living in larger more affluent cities. It is the feeling of superiority and instant gratification.
As these big city inhabitants, we have a microwave mentality that leads us to believe we never have to work really hard for anything in life. Money should automatically come to us and we should own all of the material possessions that we could ever want without lifting a finger. We want a degree in minutes because how dare it take 6 years to complete a Masters Degree. We want the big promotion just by simply showing up to work the first day and not paying our dues year after year. We want the millions in the bank just to prove how valuable we are and so other will see our worth. This list could go on and on to fit the lifestyle of many people other then myself. While shooting for the stars in life we cannot neglect hard work and perseverance. The distraction of looking at others who have put 10 years into their careers and set aside the 6 years for college and higher education can be thinking that we can have that instantly the moment we graduate from high school. But the reality is, when we are capable of earning these positions in life we will receive them. Patience is a virtue!
I don’t know this man’s condition or the reason for him being handicap, but I do know that a very significant lesson was learned from observing his hard work despite whatever obstacles he has to overcome. I will never again (anytime soon) take lightly my gift of life and health that allows me to wake up each morning and take the day by storm.
I am truly humbled.

LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE

These three simple words can be the interpreted various ways by numerous people across this great planet. For some, living is simply the daily survival of food and water. In others, it is simply waking up to a new day each morning and breathing life into their lungs. To live is the act of a daily survival for all. The fulfillment of our dreams starts with the simple act of knowing who we are and why we are put on this earth. Laughing and loving are the embodiment of living and if we do not posses any we truly are not alive.

I am taken back to a time when these words rang loud in my ears and I have never forgotten them. Live, Laugh, Love. There is so much more to life then meets the eye. At first glance from a rather pessimistic person, life can be merely a time we are placed here to live and then when our time has expired we die. And whatever you believe happens after death, well, so be it. The reality of starting from ground zero and taking control of your life is a foreign thought to most. Because for most people they are late in life and never really found who they are. If we begin to just live and let things be that cannot be changed and stop sweating the small things we are beginning to take baby steps toward just “living.” Our minds can be completely over taxed with the ideas of solutions for problems that do not exist. We always want to be something that we are not and strive tirelessly for it and are devastated when peace is not found or the gold is not at the end of the rainbow.

The greatest lessons of learning to laugh was from no one but myself and maybe a little from my mother. The statement, “Laughter is like a medicine,” could not hold more truth. I probably love to laugh more than anyone I know. I think I was born laughing. This does not make you exempt to problems, heartache and pain but it certainly does help melt the worries away. It can be difficult to laugh at yourself because it shows our imperfections and our weakness is revealed. Being in a place of vulnerability can be very uncomfortable. We need to feel in control and the loss of it is almost as horrible as being naked in public! (for some that might be a comfort) However, the relief found in laughter can be the very thing that brings healing to our lives. Our baby steps are growing into leaps of progress in mapping out our life and purpose for living.

In conclusion, never underestimate the power of these emotions and the power of the voice of another leading you in the right direction. We were not put on this earth to live in it alone and without the help of our fellow man we will not live at our full potential. All of us are given unique knowledge and special gifts that are for others. The greatest gift is giving itself and the greatest life is that to Live, Laugh, and Love.