Heroes
They say you should never meet your heroes, as you will always be disappointed. This goes the adage: do as I say, not as I do. However, we are trying to be the role models of the future generations. This means simply focusing first in our lives before telling another what to do. As in military tradition, you should never ask of your men that which you would not do yourself; we should be prepared to first eat our words, digest them, and see what becomes in our own lives.
Everyday is a test not to merely exist, but to do better than the day before. When someone asks for your personal examples of the sacrifices they perceive you to be asking of them, do not hesitate to have them at hand. By first focusing on ourselves we can ensure our message will continue beyond our encounters with those who admire the words we speak.
We must break the cycle of disappointment. Though our purpose may be greater than our own existence, the temptation to start with others is the sign that it is the simpler solution. However, when it comes to the future of our generations, the simple path is simply a path to failure.
Ask those who have met their heroes, or seen them fall. Whether it's activists, wrestlers, movie stars, or just those our elders spoke of, many of us have felt the disillusion that comes after our image has been shattered. Stop the cycle.
Ask not what you can do for everyone else, but what you can do to better yourself first. Our upbringing of selflessness leads us to think of bettering ourselves as abandoning others, but truthfully that is a shallow understanding. We need to take a deeper look to see that we are setting up a failure not of merely ourselves, but a visceral reaction to those we teach by not being fully honest in starting change with ourselves.
"Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit or one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
-The Buddha (c.563 - c.483 BCE)
Everyday is a test not to merely exist, but to do better than the day before. When someone asks for your personal examples of the sacrifices they perceive you to be asking of them, do not hesitate to have them at hand. By first focusing on ourselves we can ensure our message will continue beyond our encounters with those who admire the words we speak.
We must break the cycle of disappointment. Though our purpose may be greater than our own existence, the temptation to start with others is the sign that it is the simpler solution. However, when it comes to the future of our generations, the simple path is simply a path to failure.
Ask those who have met their heroes, or seen them fall. Whether it's activists, wrestlers, movie stars, or just those our elders spoke of, many of us have felt the disillusion that comes after our image has been shattered. Stop the cycle.
Ask not what you can do for everyone else, but what you can do to better yourself first. Our upbringing of selflessness leads us to think of bettering ourselves as abandoning others, but truthfully that is a shallow understanding. We need to take a deeper look to see that we are setting up a failure not of merely ourselves, but a visceral reaction to those we teach by not being fully honest in starting change with ourselves.
"Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit or one and all, then accept it and live up to it."
-The Buddha (c.563 - c.483 BCE)
posted by Ev|Gen|us at 23:52
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