Who Would You Rather Be?

Good morning, world! Yes, I know, it isn't really morning (today, at least) anywhere in the world right now! However, mornings are wonderful because they afford us a new beginning every day of our lives. Think about how beautiful that is....Every day has a night-time during which we are blessed to sleep (most of the time, at least, unless we have new additions to the family or work unusual hours); and every day has a morning, in which we can start all over again! Wow!

In this, my very first post (anywhere, ever!), I am particularly excited about what happened this morning. That isn't really accurate. It is more truthful to say that I am excited about what I did this morning. For the most part, life isn't about what "happens" to us. It is mostly about what we do with what happens.

Without going into detail, I will simply state that not everything was as we (my wife, Jan, and I) might have preferred. We'll leave it at that. Nonetheless, we had gotten up reasonably early, and gone about our morning routine of reading, contemplating, and praying; and then went for our every-other-day walk. (We go to the gym MWF.) As we walked, we discussed the various options we had regarding the challenge we were faced with - among other topics of conversation. As we entered the last half-mile of our mile and a half stroll, I asked her if she would rather be "so and so," whom we know, who has zero concerns in the area we were being stretched by, but is perhaps fifty pounds overweight.

Jan has become a fitness queen over the past eight to ten months, and looks great! So, I asked if she would rather be where she is, with the particular challenge that she is facing, or be "so and so," with no problems in this area - but a health and weight issue. As is Jan's custom, she was pensive....(As a side note, if you are a friend, and you are wondering if we were talking about you, that can only be a reflection of how you view yourself. Ouch!)

To make my point, I will just tell you what my response to the question was. I told her that there was not a single other person on the planet that I would rather be, given the exact circumstances that we now face, along with every other aspect of our lives. I simply wouldn't want to be anyone else, under any circumstance! In other words, I was 100% happy with who I was, and wouldn't for a moment want to trade places with anyone else on earth. Period! (Exclamation point!)

Now, you might think I was just saying those things, but I can tell you that I wasn't. I felt that (and feel it now) on every level of my being. I was 100% satisfied with who I was (am), and wouldn't want to be anyone or anywhere else - in spite of any challenges that might be going on in our lives. Now that was a blessing! I wouldn't want to be anyone else on the planet - regardless of anything that we might be facing in life. I just have to tell you that that was a wonderful insight and realization - a wonderful feeling! I was (and am) thrilled to be me - regardless of whatever difficulties I might have in the near or long term. I wouldn't want to be anyone else! (I think you get the idea.)

Okay. Within an hour and a half of our conversation, Jan had come up with a solution to our challenge! Now here is the interesting thing: I felt tremendously grateful for the solution; but I did not feel one bit different about who I was, or who I wanted to be. That was simply a fact, and it remains so. The good news that ensued was simply a confirmation of what I had already decided in my heart - and yes, the confirmation felt good, but it didn't change my feelings about myself! I felt good (before and after), and I was grateful (before and after, as well)!

I haven't thought of a formula or concept for how to apply this to my life in every instance, but I do know this: it is absolutely essential that we like who we are, and what we are doing - where we are going, better put. If we have solved that issue, then all of the rest will fall in place. In the meantime, we can be happy regardless of what is going on around us if we just ask ourselves the question: Would I rather be anyone or anywhere else in the world right now? (To clarify, when I say "anywhere" else, I don't really mean in a physical or geographical sense; I mean in the sense of "where we are going" in life.)

So be grateful for who you are, and if you don't like some things that are going on in your life, change them! (When I used to live in Texas, there was a bumper sticker that read: "If you don't have an oil well, get one!") Meanwhile, be grateful to be you, and be the best you that you can be! That is certainly one of the keys to happiness and success in life!