someone asked me about my college activities and positions. It sent me
digging into the recesses of my dark, dusty closet for answers. It was
there I stumbled upon a myriad of accumulated accolades hiding away in a
large, plastic Wal-mart cont
ainer and it made me pause.
Throughout
my years in school I was a bit of an overachiever (and that is a bit of
an understatement). I have certificates dating back to elementary
school touting my brilliance. Some are quirky and fun like my “Pizza
Queen� award, where I kicked a bunch of middle school boys butts in an
eating contest, but most are related to the serious subjects of
schoolwork.
I
remember being so proud of winning the plaudits of teachers and peers.
Looking back I’m certain I spent my time in school trying desperately to
please others. In fact most of my life I have been trying to please
others while maintaining the facade that I really could care less what
people think. I pushed myself to be better, smarter, more talented than
everyone else so that I could be noticed, could earn a paper or piece of
wood and metal with my name engraved on it. In such a short span of
time the ink of my memory has faded, the applause has died and my awards
are gathering dust. What was of grave importance a few years ago is now
of little concern to me.
How
many of the things that so consume my life today, that are ranked as
top priority on my to-do list, really matter? Are my actions and
decisions now based on pleasing others, gaining a reward, living up to a
title or can I step back from it all and live not for what will gather
dust in a darkened corner but for that which will reach into eternity?
