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“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt
Life is meant to be lived. If you don’t live it, well…no one else is going to do it for you.
At the end of the day, you and you alone are responsible for how your energy was spent. You and you alone are responsible for your life. Will you spend it being the side-line critic and nay-sayer, or will you step out onto the playing field and get in the game.
Getting into the game and becoming an active participant in life is not a risk-free endeavor; never has been, never will be. But that’s not the point.
The point is that life is meant to be lived - getting scraped up, picking yourself back up, brushing yourself off and getting on with it.
How do you get into the game? How do you move from the bench onto the field?
1. Consider the possibility that maybe, just maybe, you really are responsible for your life and the circumstances in which you find yourself (the good, the bad and the ugly); not your parents, not your partner, not your boss, not anyone else but you.
2. Make a conscious choice to actively take on a leadership role with yourself. You become the director of your own life. You create meaning for yourself and give direction to your own life. Don’t expect anyone else to do it for you. This is nobody else’s responsibilty but your own.
3. Come out of hiding. Don’t let fear dominate your living. Though fear is running rampant in our communities and in our nation at this time, IT IS NOT WORTHY OF YOUR VALUABLE ENERGY. You are bigger and better than your worst fears. Don’t let others dominate you with fear and especially don’t dominate yourself with fear.
4. Keep learning. Don’t ever stop growing. Always challenge yourself. If the lack of a particular skill has you holding back from fully participating in life - well take the initiative and master that skill to the best of your ability.
5. Keep forgiving and always own your mistakes and errors. But please, don’t let your human foibles hold you back from fully expressing yourself. FORGIVE YOURSELF and then pick yourself back up and resume living. If you don’t do this for yourself, nobody else is going to.
This may be one of the hardest things to do. When you know you’ve f#%* up, it is so easy to shut down and go into hiding for fear of being found out. Life is too short for you to stay in hiding. There is to much to experience and enjoy in life for you to stay in hiding. There are to many worthy causes that want your attention, that need you. Own what there is to own from your past, forgive yourself absolutely (as God so readily does) and then get out there and start contributing yourself to life.
So, here are some questions for you:
Are you in the arena or on the sideline?
If your on the sideline would you be willing to take a step out onto the field?
If you are already on the playing field, would you mind sharing your experiences? Such contributions are so valuable.
One final word: Once you get a taste of the arena, you will never be satisfied again with the bench. Maybe this is what God intended.
Until next time
Take Time To Go Within
Take Time To Reach Out
Rev. Barbara
