Interesting Development

    You know what it is like to have life keeping you on your heels? Seriously, not in that "yeah, I get what your saying man" crap, seriously every time you turn a corner (or think you have), there is a fantastic surprise lurking just around the bend, waiting to alter life just enough to make you step back and reconsider what led you to where you are. I'll take a second and be blunt, I think that is a bunch of shit. I get annoyed with carrying more of the load, and working harder, only to see the rewards of those efforts simply become anonymity or better yet higher expectations. After all that seems like the accepted practice, find someone who will carry the load {quietly if possible}. Save the attention and accolades for those who require them, why waste credit where it is due ... give it to those that need it and demand it and let those that simply do without asking in return to go without .... enough of this preachy rant, I actually have more important things to ponder ... so lets get to it.

    Let me bounce this off of you, why is it that others are so comfortable with expecting, yet are so uncomfortable with giving? I am not talking about occasional moments, I am talking about everyday "norms" here. Follow me here, I'll take you to the next level. Lets analyze my response to the previously described behavior.

    I have a head full of "sayings/teachings" from my days growing up in rural Indiana farmland. I remember them very fondly these days, and make a strong effort to apply them in my daily life. I certainly wish that I had a better understanding of the impact of these teachings and lessons at a younger age, but back when I was young they were just "words". I have learned, over the years, the precious nature of those words and their enormous value. These words all make such simplistic sense these days. Things like ... "Treat others, as you would like to be treated." ... "If you want something in life, work for it, earn it, and make it yours." ... "Be proud of what you have no matter how little it may seem" ... "Do not boast about your accomplishments, possessions, and knowledge, a truly successful person doesn't need to make others aware of such things." ...  "Excuses are a weakness, they have no positive effect in your life." ... In a nutshell these and many other "words" have provided me with the perspective to set my bar.

    Now, I mentioned analyzing my response to the societal disease of "expect but don't give". Admittedly there have been times in my life, where I have bristled at the notion of "fair", but it didn't take long to figure out that "fair" is nothing but an illusion. Perception, consequence, and many other things factor in, and it is quite frankly, a maddening adventure to even seek out "fair" in life. So armed with my trusty teachings, my response was to actually buckle down and work harder. I do not do this in an effort to make things fair, but to actually simplify life. I quickly found, that working harder, when things aren't going smoothly, actually simplified life. So over time my conditioned response to adversity has become extra effort. This provided a positive enough effect on things when the chips were down, but as with all things in life, anything in excess is bad. Excess effort can turn that positive into a negative, by adding fatigue and frustration to the equation. Balance must be maintained, and that can be tricky at times.

    I believe in who I am, and what I've been shown throughout life. These lessons and teachings have given me the confidence to know, that a me first attitude is a lifelong ticket to misery. I have also come to see that being the mule that carries the load, only to be forever taken for granted, is equally foolish. Again comes the quest for balance, and the need to keep shifting, and changing, and rolling with the punches.

    I'll keep turning the other cheek, and trying to be a better man. I find myself thinking occasionally, it would be nice to actually quit absorbing so many freaking punches along the way.