What's the point of life? I mean, what makes a fulfilling life? I lamented yesterday that sometimes I feel like my biggest accomplishment is going to be losing weight. So far, it's the thing that seems to have gotten the most attention. In reflecting on what's really important, I keep coming back to this piece that came across my "thought for the day" camp files, way back before the Internet when people emailed these things or <gulp> photocopied and passed them around in the dark ages before the World Wide Web.
Maybe it stuck with me so profoundly because I read it as a teen, at a time when I desperately needed to hear the message. Maybe it's just the easiest way for me to live, because it measures success by something over which we have total control, all the time.
Life's about how you treat people. For me, it's as simple as that.
And it has nothing to do with the scale.
Maybe it stuck with me so profoundly because I read it as a teen, at a time when I desperately needed to hear the message. Maybe it's just the easiest way for me to live, because it measures success by something over which we have total control, all the time.
Life's about how you treat people. For me, it's as simple as that.
And it has nothing to do with the scale.
What's it all about?
Life isn’t about keeping score. It’s not about how many friends you have, or how many people call you. Or how accepted you are. Not about if you have plans this weekend, or if you’re alone. It isn’t about who you’re dating, who you used to date, how many people you’ve dated, or if you haven’t been with anyone at all. It isn’t about who you have kissed. It is not about sex. It isn’t about who your family is, or how much money they have. Or what kind of car you drive, or where you are sent to school. It’s not about how beautiful or ugly you are. Or what clothes you wear, what shoes you have on, or what kind of music you listen to. It’s not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, brown, or green. Or if your skin is too light or too dark. Not about what grades you get, how smart you are, how smart everyone else thinks you are, or how smart standardized tests say you are. Or if this teacher likes you, or if this guy/girl likes you. Or what clubs you’re in, or how good you are at “your” sport. It’s not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who will accept the written you.
Life. just. isn’t.
But life is about who you love and who you hurt. It’s about who you make happy or unhappy purposefully. It’s about keeping or betraying trust. It’s about friendship, used as a sanctity or a weapon. It’s about what you say and mean, maybe hurtful, maybe heartening. About starting rumors and contributing to petty gossip. It’s about what judgements you pass and why. And who your judgements are spread to. It’s about who you’ve ignored with full control and intention. It’s about jealousy, fear, ignorance, and revenge. It’s about carrying inner hate and love, letting it grow and spreading it. But most of all, it’s about using your life to touch or poison other people’s hearts in such a way that could have never occurred alone.
Only you choose the way those hearts are affected.
We are just too powerful in life sometimes.
Life isn’t about keeping score. It’s not about how many friends you have, or how many people call you. Or how accepted you are. Not about if you have plans this weekend, or if you’re alone. It isn’t about who you’re dating, who you used to date, how many people you’ve dated, or if you haven’t been with anyone at all. It isn’t about who you have kissed. It is not about sex. It isn’t about who your family is, or how much money they have. Or what kind of car you drive, or where you are sent to school. It’s not about how beautiful or ugly you are. Or what clothes you wear, what shoes you have on, or what kind of music you listen to. It’s not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, brown, or green. Or if your skin is too light or too dark. Not about what grades you get, how smart you are, how smart everyone else thinks you are, or how smart standardized tests say you are. Or if this teacher likes you, or if this guy/girl likes you. Or what clubs you’re in, or how good you are at “your” sport. It’s not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who will accept the written you.
Life. just. isn’t.
But life is about who you love and who you hurt. It’s about who you make happy or unhappy purposefully. It’s about keeping or betraying trust. It’s about friendship, used as a sanctity or a weapon. It’s about what you say and mean, maybe hurtful, maybe heartening. About starting rumors and contributing to petty gossip. It’s about what judgements you pass and why. And who your judgements are spread to. It’s about who you’ve ignored with full control and intention. It’s about jealousy, fear, ignorance, and revenge. It’s about carrying inner hate and love, letting it grow and spreading it. But most of all, it’s about using your life to touch or poison other people’s hearts in such a way that could have never occurred alone.
Only you choose the way those hearts are affected.
We are just too powerful in life sometimes.
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