Back To The Basics

A little inspiration for my readers:

Can you remember when you were little?  Think back.  I mean REALLY little; your mother still holding your hand to the school bus little.  Do you remember how you used to act, how you used to think, feel, and be?

You were careless and were concerned with a different set of priorities.  You had other pet peeves and triggers.  Simpler things made you happy and you were more family-orientated.  Instead of worrying about what others will see you in and spending hours to pick and reevaluate your outfit, you styled yourself with whatever suited your mood and were done with it.  And I’m pretty sure a lot of us had little bloated baby tummies and did not flinch once in front of the mirror.  We loved running around, being reckless, and rolling in the mud.  Getting dirty was an adventure, not a chore.

Remember how we used to interact with others.  Without troubling ourselves over future possibilities and scenarios, we acted upon impulse.  Although taking certain consequences into consideration is sometimes crucial in the decision-making process, why should it affect the way in which we converse with others?  In other words, why should the prospective reactions from others determine our initial actions?  At the risk of sounding cliche, my perfect world is one in which all are true and sincere without the fear of judgment on their conscious.  It is your life you’re living, so why should others dictate your story line?

Dance for all that are watching.  Speak for all who are listening.  Shine for all those residing in darkness.  Be yourself for the world.  Be true and self-fulfilling first, burdened and careful last.   IT IS OKAY TO PLAY NOW, PAY LATER (thanks, Mishon).  You could spend your life dreaming of living, which sounds redundant, doesn’t it?  It is always good to work then play, to balance yourself in order to survive, but remember also that youth is for doing things you cannot do with age.  And why should your age signify the number of regrets you collected along the way?  “Playing it safe” may look appealing at the moment, but deciding not to do something could be just as regretful as the alternative.

The longer you prolong a decision, the more attention you are taking away from others to be made.  You could spend just as much time considering an action as you could spend completing it.  For example, while you are trying to decide if you are going to participate in the bull-riding contest in front of hundreds, you are diverting your concentration from other opportunities you may have.  In this time, the prize could be claimed by another contender, the love of your life could be considering introducing him/herself to you, or your favorite celebrity could be behind you in line for the contest.  I’m not trying to pressure you into becoming a Yes-man, and some decisions require more consideration, but definitely do NOT hesitate and miss an amazing moment due to fear.

There are a million scenarios that could occur as a result of participating in such a contest.  You could fly off and break your arm.  You could accidentally rip your shirt and expose yourself.  You could fall off the fake bull after the slightest movement.  BUT sometimes the pain of today is worth the memory for tomorrow.  Five years from now, does it matter if Jessica Alba point-blank witnessed you rolling ridiculously, unnecessarily, and embarrassingly off the fake bull before it even begins to jerk you?  You fall flat on your face, and happen to be wearing a skirt or extremely short shorts, slightly exposing yourself.  But what do you do when you pick yourself up?  The moment has begun and you are helpless to that fact.  But your next move makes your story.  Get up and run out the door?  Or hop up, shake it off, and get back on the bull?  Most of the time, the important factor in a situation is not what happens, but how you handle it.  The world is filled with unfortunate events, but succeeding against all odds is always admirable. 

When you are old, wrinkly, lacking full mobility, and left to your thoughts alone, what will be memorable to you?  Rolling out of the spotlight and sneaking off to blend into normalcy, or getting back on the bull, winning the contest and a high-five from Jessica?  Even if you don’t win the contest, you still might get the high-five, which might just be as satisfying.

Today, a lot of people are preoccupied with being leaders, not followers.  So when you are older, will you be a speaker or a listener?  Will you be passive, and reminisce with others of their tales, or will you recount your own, and continue to awe your audience?