Music & the Spoken Word-Sept. 12, 2010

Cleaning out some old notebooks today & I found these notes I had written last year. Great reminder for me as my kids enter the TEEN years...

3 mothers were sitting together at a school ballgame. 2 of them were gushing over their children's talents & latest achievements. One son had just won an athletic scholarship. The other's daughter had just been chosen as the valedictorian. The 3rd mother's son had no such accomplishments but she seemed unruffled even happy for the success of the other 2. She almost sounded as proud of those children as their own mothers were. Later when asked why she didn't feel jealous, she simply explained--it is much EASIER TO CELEBRATE THAN TO COMPETE. She certainly wanted success for her own child, but she knew victories for others didn't mean failure for her. She felt confident that her son would excel in his OWN way & in his own time.

The ability to forget oneself & praise another's achievement is KEY to contented living. It's natural to feel pains of envy at another's success as if their success cancels out our own. But in reality, life is a roller coaster & we each have our own ups and downs. When we remember and cherish our own values & growth, we realize we wouldn't trade places with anyone else. When we are confident in the motives of our own hearts we can then reach out to commend others for a job well done or fortune that comes their way. This big hearted-ness is also easier when we adopt the stance of the mother at the ballgame. If we can look upon others with a parental sense of love, then we can rejoice in their achievements just as a gardener rejoices in his flower blooms. When we surround ourselves with winners, it encourages us to strive higher, rather than feel threatened.