Friday, May 22, 2009

In charge or not

Ms. Rosenberg is walking down the street with her two grand children all dressed up for the Sunday morning holly day.
Ms. Freeman is coming the other way and sees them.
- Oh, my goodness! Are those your grand children? I can’t believe how tall they have grown. How old are they now?
Very proud of her grandchildren Ms. Rosenberg replies:
- The doctor is 7 and the lawyer is 9!

Funny or not, 6 out of 10 Americans are unhappy with their jobs.
Yet every morning they wake up and they go to their dreaded jobs week after week, year after year.

We started playing in the sand pan with a shiny tin truck, dreaming that one day we will drive the real thing, carrying iceberg lettuce from California over the Rocky Mountains, sun gleaming in our eyes, wind blowing in our hair.
And some how we wake up one day practicing corporate law, locked up in a stuffy office with a mountain high pile of paper in front of us.
(Or something similarly disappointing)

Some where along the way our shiny truck of happiness got high jacked and now some other poor schmuck drives it over the Rocky Mountains while dreaming of a cushy office job in a law firm in the big city.
(Such is the irony of life.)

So, what the hell just happened to our dreams?
As the immortal john Lennon said:
"Life is what's happening to us while we're busy making other plans."

So stop and ask yourself:
Who is in charge of my life?
Am I happy the way he/she/it is running my life?
If not; why don’t I get rid of he/she/it and put somebody else in charge?

After all, in charge or not you are still the one responsible for the happiness – or unhappiness - in your life.

14 comments:

mickael said...

to force change is one of the most efficient methods of finding something new to learn.

however. :)

about 4 and a half years ago i took number of disciplines like speak only truth. then i seriously thought of becoming a monk.

later i discovered that monastery is not in the mountains, it's in the heart. :) dream life is not beyond clouds, it's where we choose it to be.

good luck.
mickael

Ted Bagley said...

It's interesting you said "read" instead of "rid" at the end.

Argent said...

This post really resonates with me. I have a good job which I don't hate (most of the time) but stiill I can't shake the feeling I should be doing something more 'worthy', more of benefit to others. Thing is. I don't have a clue what that thing should be. Change is difficult when you don't know what to change to.

Brigit said...

I've always been the kid in the lolly shop. I want to try everything. I've never been able to stick with something long enough to become adept at it. At the moment I'm just going through a contemplating my next step phase in my life, so, very timely Buddha.

Unknown said...

@ Mickael - When you are talking from your heart is when I really feel your wisdom, when you really touch me.
When you speak from the scriptures I just feel like throwing stones at you.
No offense :)

@Ted - It is just bad English :)
I'm not making an excuse because it is my second, or third, language but I have to say it because I have to tell you that I really appreciate any time somebody helps me with my English.
So keep up the good work!

@Argent - I did a "reading" on your situation and here is your answer:
"Don't look for change outside, for the change you need is inside"

@ Brigit - I have had two dozen jobs in my life and I am contemplating two dozen more.
There is nothing wrong with that.
The only thing bad is to get stuck into a dead end job and be unable to get out.
Remember: Happiness is the only measure of success :)

TALON said...

Finding the job that fits...and finding out you have multiple skills and desires that don't always fit jobs in the marketplace...yeah, it's interesting to say the least!

When you talk to people who are doing what they love it's always a wonderful thing to listen to them. They all have passion. The money is incidental.

mickael said...

throwing rocks at rocks is of little consequence. :)

besides, i've not come across a teaching about monastery in heart anywhere but my heart so far.

so, being unoriginal: things are not what they seem. now you have authorization to throw rock my way. ;)

good luck.
mickael

AngelBaby said...

So true, life is short and we should be enjoying it to the max. The problem is we do need a place to live and we have to eat so we have to work. Now if we manage to find something we love we can keep our day job until what we love doing starts paying us. That is my goal and I am going to get there from where I am at now.

Love and Blessings,
AngelBaby

Don't Feed The Pixies said...

your intro reminded me of the Monty Python sketch where the grown man is out with his mum and she's all "can he speak yet..does he want his rattle" etc and he responds "Mother, i'm a chartered accountant for **** sake"

I think very few people actually hold the reigns of our lives - we all have to do what we can to survive, even if we don't like it

Gramma& Grampa DeVault said...

namaste, I have been learning about buddhism for about 2 years, I would love to follow and learn more

molly said...

Fabulous post, Buddah of Hollywood.

And I am happy to say that unlike most members of my family, I forwent the path of medicine or law or some other PhD for a far simpler life, and I am happier for it.

Not suggesting that everyone with eighteen years of college and advanced degree aren't happy, but in my family it doesn't seem like they are.

While I may not have the expensive car, I have time to travel and meditate and I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Unknown said...

@ Talon – That is what I dream of doing.
Something that will ignite my passion!

@ Mickael – He, he, he.
But I throw them with love :)

@ Angel – Trust me – I am on the same boat, trying to find my way to the light.

@ Pixie – I have to do more than survive – other wise I would just commit suicide and be done with it :)

@ Gramma & Grampa – Buddhism is easy to learn – what we are trying here is to apply Buddhism wisdom to real day by day life – which is a little more complicated…
So if you are interested please join our little group of friends.
We are all students here and all opinions are welcomed :)

@ molly – Happiness is the true measure of success – and I wish you success in all your life endeavors!

Ted Bagley said...

He, he, he. I'll do my best!
Three languages? I'll bet you're smart and paying attention. no excuses, though.

Brigit said...

Thank you Buddha, I think that's just what I needed to hear.