Why do so many wish to manipulate the direction we take in life? At what point does wisdom turn to opinion? We are bombarded by overbearing opinions throughout our entire life. From childhood to teenage years to adult life everyone it seems knows what is best for us. The television knows what style of clothing we should wear. The radio knows what brand of music we must enjoy. The family member knows what person we should choose as a spouse. The friend knows what education we should receive. The teacher knows what philosophy we should believe. The newest film knows what type of parties we should attend. When did we ever get the chance to think for our own self?
Could it be possible that everyone wishes to force everyone else to live through the same misery they have experienced? Go to this school. Take out a loan to buy a new car. Participate in these extra curricular activities so that you have no time for your self. Go to this college. Get that degree. You can't earn a living doing this or that. Live it up 'while you still have the chance'. Don't get married too young or to anyone that is not close to your age or to anyone that is not a certain religion, race, or ethnicity. Go on grand vacations. Buy a house with money you do not have. Get a 'good' job working 10-12 hours everyday. Repeat the cycle on your own children. Did we ever stop and ask our self the question why? What is this all for?
On our leadership journey we have discovered that we control our own mind and our own emotions. For years we have been told what to do and what to think. Others stand to gain tremendously from molding us all into a few groups of predictable consumers. We are created with independent will. We maintain the ability to reflect with a conscience. Unlike any other creature on earth we were granted an imagination. Have we been programmed to place these three attributes in hibernation? Who stands to gain if we wander through life from beginning to end without discovering our uniqueness as individuals? If we forget how to fully utilize our independent will, our conscience, and our imagination what happens to our humanity?
We can delete the program from our mind that has been cast upon us by the cultural engineers. We can perfect our ability to create time between a stimulus and our reaction. We are not animals. There is no truth in human reaction. Wielding the power of our mind we can choose how we respond to all stimulus. Whether an errant driver cuts us off on the road or an adversary utters hurtful things to us, we are in control. We choose. We have the ability to reason. No one or no thing in this universe can control us without our permission. Care not what desires others have for the outcome of our life. Blaming others for our actions and our emotional state is no way out. We are responsible for our own self, our own actions, and our own choices. This bombardment will not cease. For James teaches us this, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." Will we allow the infinite little tongues to conquer and control our own mind? It is time for choosing.
Copyright © Robert Clinton Chedester 2012
Could it be possible that everyone wishes to force everyone else to live through the same misery they have experienced? Go to this school. Take out a loan to buy a new car. Participate in these extra curricular activities so that you have no time for your self. Go to this college. Get that degree. You can't earn a living doing this or that. Live it up 'while you still have the chance'. Don't get married too young or to anyone that is not close to your age or to anyone that is not a certain religion, race, or ethnicity. Go on grand vacations. Buy a house with money you do not have. Get a 'good' job working 10-12 hours everyday. Repeat the cycle on your own children. Did we ever stop and ask our self the question why? What is this all for?
On our leadership journey we have discovered that we control our own mind and our own emotions. For years we have been told what to do and what to think. Others stand to gain tremendously from molding us all into a few groups of predictable consumers. We are created with independent will. We maintain the ability to reflect with a conscience. Unlike any other creature on earth we were granted an imagination. Have we been programmed to place these three attributes in hibernation? Who stands to gain if we wander through life from beginning to end without discovering our uniqueness as individuals? If we forget how to fully utilize our independent will, our conscience, and our imagination what happens to our humanity?
We can delete the program from our mind that has been cast upon us by the cultural engineers. We can perfect our ability to create time between a stimulus and our reaction. We are not animals. There is no truth in human reaction. Wielding the power of our mind we can choose how we respond to all stimulus. Whether an errant driver cuts us off on the road or an adversary utters hurtful things to us, we are in control. We choose. We have the ability to reason. No one or no thing in this universe can control us without our permission. Care not what desires others have for the outcome of our life. Blaming others for our actions and our emotional state is no way out. We are responsible for our own self, our own actions, and our own choices. This bombardment will not cease. For James teaches us this, "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell." Will we allow the infinite little tongues to conquer and control our own mind? It is time for choosing.
Copyright © Robert Clinton Chedester 2012