Happy Friday, snippeteers ... So, did any of you raise (or are raising) one of those kind of kids who CAN do their schoolwork, is CAPABLE of getting good grades, studying for a big test, or beginning a project, yet will not give it his/her "all?" I'm zipping back in time about a dozen years, thinking about one unnamed son who - after I pushed-pulled-pushed-and-pulled through middle school and high school - I thought I deserved his diploma!!! You should have seen me doing the "YES! HE FINALLY GRADUATED!" dance in the aisle at the grad ceremony. Cartwheels, handstands, flips, megaphone, fireworks (the other parents didn't appreciate those). It meant no more homework and projects - for ME.
That kid had what it took to be a better student (every teacher he had told us so) yet he didn't use those abilities.
Sometimes we have what it takes to do something - but do we use our potential? And if not, what stands in our way ... besides ourselves?
We might have what it takes to enjoy a more harmonious marriage ... but do we use it? Not always ... sometimes ... and sometimes never. Why? We allow resentment, jealousy, pride, stubbornness, and a hardened heart to stand in our way. Yep, there goes THAT WALL going up. (You know what wall I mean.)
We might have what it takes to grow a veggie garden in our backyards - you know, the one we say at the start of each summer that we definitely will grow this year. But do we? (Do you see any Roma tomatoes sprouting outside my back door? No, you do not.) Why? Laziness, no extra time to devote to planting, the thought of "starting" overwhelms us (so we don't), or we like ice cream more than vegetables.
We certainly have what it takes to be a kinder human ... do we use it? What's in our way here? No time to make that donation online or sign up to volunteer. We show simple "unconsciousness" about a cause or an issue we could support. No interest to root through our closets to donate clothing we fail to wear 80% of the time. And certainly who has time to figure out where to drop it at a collection center? We tend to get a tad too focused on "my-stuff-my-world-my-life" to recognize there happens to be a live person standing in front of us to show kindness. Or do we hold it back and let envy and pride run The Kindness Show?
We have what it takes to be a more spiritual and faithful person - but do we use it? What's blocking the way? Fear of others' judgments, apprehension to 'go deep?' We have what it takes to be a better parent ... friend ... sister ... mother-in-law ... daughter ... son ... uncle ... or _______. Are we practicing that? Or we don't have the energy?
Like my kid who was capable of being a better-than-C student, I believe we are all capable of being more than we allow ourselves. Maybe we might not have what it takes be an astronaut and fly to the International Space Station; become an actor and win an Academy Award; or our book listed on the New York Times Best Sellers. Maybe we'll never play on a professional sports team, win a Pulitzer, qualify for The Olympics, or patent a cool product that earns billions.
But if we utilize the character traits, skills, energy, talents, and vision we do possess ... well then, snippeteers ... what is stopping us?
Do you have what it takes? And where will it take you?
