A hamster goes around and around on his squeaky wheel. If he could count, he’d do maybe 50 laps or 100 laps. And at that point possibly feel he is accomplishing something. It’s not that going around and around in an exercise wheel is pointless. He’s letting off energy that needs released, like a too full balloon. After all, he doesn’t have to run to escape any cats or owls. His life is safe.
Sometimes I count my laps on my own proverbial wheel. It makes me feel better. I’m accomplishing something. I cleared my emails. I’ve paid my bills, answered questions, and commented on funny posts. I’ve completed my tasks. Sometimes, though, I think I’ve missed the point. Life isn’t about achievements. It’s not about how many coins you collect or how many grains of sand you’ve sorted. As I dig into my sand pile I can count, one brown grain of sand, one off-white grain of sand, one lighter brown grain of sand, etc. It’s funny if you stop to think about it. We applaud some of the craziest behaviors. If someone has a need to climb mountains, to touch the tops of as many peaks as they can, that’s great. But that’s their quest, not mine. And just because I can count something doesn’t change its value.
What if life was meaningless? What if it doesn’t matter what you put meaning into, like counting your shell collection or keeping your priceless classic cars waxed? If you strip all of your accomplishments away, at the end of the day, we are all the same. It’s only what we value that matters.
http://simplereminders.com/topics/success/
Related articles
- Human-Sized Hamster Wheel Offered For Free on Craigslist (laughingsquid.com)
- Jumping Off the Wheel (benonigoose.wordpress.com)
- Vive ut vivas – live to the fullest (meliorare.wordpress.com)
- Life Lesson from an Ad Man: Rocks, Pebbles, and Sand (terrywaynejohnson.com)
- Getting Your Enthusiasm Back (theengagingbrand.typepad.com)
- The Hourglass (lookingthroughanotherseyes.wordpress.com)
- What I am doing (goodaswinter.wordpress.com)
janetkwest.com 