The Recovering Farmer

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

When The Mind Goes Blank

Since the start of this blogging project I occasionally run into a time when I can think of little that seems interesting. Not sure what that is a sign of. Does that mean that life is boring? Or does it mean that my mental state is not where it should be? I really don’t think it is either one. I have lots going on. Both with a house project and also work wise. So I should be able to write something. But it just is not happening. On occasion I will ask friends or colleagues for topic suggestions. Sometimes that works, other times not so well. One of my faithful followers sent me an email yesterday telling me that my blog needed to be updated. In other words, post a new one. Something fresh. I responded by asking him for a topic. He gave me an idea. Something I have pondered over the last few weeks.

Do you find yourself hurrying through life? Do you find your main goal to be making money? Worrying about whether there will be enough for retirement? Do you take time for yourself? For your family? What do you enjoy about life? How do we establish what is important in life? How do we set priorities? Good questions.

From young on we are programed to give our all. We look forward eagerly to starting school. We want to turn sixteen so we can drive. We anticipate graduation. We jump into college. We are taught that to be successful we need to work hard. We strive to climb the ladder. To reach the top. We have a family. We have to work harder to provide. Retirement is within sight. Will we have enough money? We work a little harder. Earn more. Our parents and siblings are getting older. But we don’t have time for them. We have things to do. Maybe someday. And then we die.

I am reminded of the song Cat’s In The Cradle. A song made famous in 1974. It’s a beautiful song. I have always enjoyed it. Take the time to listen to the lyrics. Tells a sad story. It’s the story of a father who is too busy to take the time to play with his son. To take part in family activities. And as the boy grows up he models his life after his father’s. “I’m gonna be like him, yeah, you know I’m gonna be like him”. Then the son leaves home, the father grows old and wants the son to come for a visit. However, now the son is too busy. A sad story indeed.

Ever notice that when people have life changing events happen in their lives their perspective on life changes. I deal with people who have been involved in traumatic car accidents. People who have faced and experienced financial ruin. I have friends who have lost loved ones. Friends who have and keep struggling through health challenges. What used to be important no longer is. And what has become more important never was.

STOP. Take a moment to think. Is what you are consumed with today going to matter tomorrow, next week, next year or when you are old? Take a moment to visualize your life when you get to be seventy or eighty years old. What do you think will be your biggest regret? Not enough time with family? I could have left that work and enjoyed more golf? We should have taken that trip? Why did we not spend money on that? Now live the rest of your life accordingly. I refer, again, to my wall hanging that says, “The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long to begin it”. Make life changes before life changes. Make it a good one.

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