I am recently stumped...okay, I get stumped a lot, but most recently I am puzzled by the posits of self-help gurus on how we are able to do anything we put our minds to.
I know that I disagree on a number of fronts. For example, under the strict rules of gravity, age and basketball, I will never dunk a basketball on a regulation rim. Then on the other hand, I really want to agree that we have the potential to do most anything we put our energies to.
It was then that I remembered a wonderful conversation with my daughter Rachael. She was, in her teens, boasting about her abilities to out "burp/belch" any guy. Now, at the risk of outing her belching abilities to potential suitors, I have to agree that she could do quite well in length, quality and decibel level. We talked about the worth of such skills, the potential for chunks or taco breath to be an issue. We couldn't really come to an agreeable understanding about her skills until I asked this.
"I know that you can, but I want to know if you should."
Stroke of genius on my part. Hardly. Inspiration. Pure inspiration.
She answered in her wisdom that she probably shouldn't.
Maybe its a leap of logic and reason to ask this of all our potential exploits and triumphs. But knowing that we could do whatever we put our minds to I think is an overwhelming distraction. I am quite certain that it is a lie or at least half the truth.
But in the event I offend some of you, I only want to posit this question. Should we do all that we have the potential to do?
Any thoughts?
Life is Brilliant,
JARRET
2 comments:
Hey, Jarret. Man, does EVERYONE have a blog? I just started one, so here it is:
http://bethanypark-ethansmama.blogspot.com/
Have a good one!
"men are that they might have joy" ~ I think we should reach for all that we can be, although limit ourselves only if it takes away from the freedom of others. I always remember this talk I heard where the person speaking said that hell would be looking back at our life and knowing that we could have done more for others and more with our own life. Then I think of the parable of the talents, and think that I have been given so much I need to be able to go out there and reach for more and share more, lest what I have be taken from me and given to another. We so often look at that as a parable of what talents we have in our terminology of what a talent is, when it was about money, which could also be time, or ability or capability. You could dunk a basketball on that hoop if you started working towards it, it would not be immediate, but you could do it. It would not be easy, and it would take lots of effort, but I really believe that people can get what they focus on because it has happened way too many times to me for it to be a coincidence. You are right on the thought, of "should we". I do not think God wants us to be unhappy in any extent and as He states He is a good Father that knows how to give good gifts. For us to deny our abilities to reach for what we can in this life is denying Him the gifts that He has for us, and what right do we have to say as in what gifts of His for us are better than the others.
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