I tend to make people uncomfortable. For a number of reasons. Perhaps one of the main reasons is a particular habit I formed many years ago. I formed this habit because of the examples set for me by other persons whom I admired and respected early in life. But there were also other things involved as well.
I find it sad that this particular habit makes so many people uncomfortable. The reason why it does is fairly obvious. And that's even more sad.
Some blame my offensive habit on what they assume to be an obsessive-compulsive streak in my nature. Perhaps so, but I'm not sure that explains it. Not completely anyhow.
I will confess my habit in a moment. But first I must preface my confession with an apology. After all, you too may find my habit offensive, or perhaps disgusting. The very fact that I am even confessing to it might be bothersome. So I wish to apologize for this in advance.
Why do I assume my habit is so offensive as to need a pre-apology? Because I have lived with this so-called curse for most of my life. And I have been belittled aplenty for it; ridiculed and yes, even despised and hated.
I wish it were not so. I wish I could rid myself of this burden, this flaw which has so buried itself in my inner nature as to be second nature to me in almost every aspect of my existence. I know it would be much harder to drop my habit than cutting off both my legs!
Perhaps you think I haven't tried. I have tried. I have tried as hard as a person can try. But try as I might, I can't change something has become such an integral part of me without becoming someone else entirely.
Finally, a long last, I have decided to surrendered to fate and admit that I love my habit as much as I love life itself. If I am ever to find peace, I must finally embrace the beast within me and let it take me where it will. And in doing so, I will come out of the closet, as it were, and proclaim my habit to all the world.
I love excellence and the endless pursuit of it! I absolutely need to strive toward excellence in all things. Yes, it's true.
I realize how upset it makes certain others when they must endure the company of one who refuses to compromise the habit of doing absolutely everything absolutely as good as they possibly can. I really do understand. It makes me equally uncomfortable to be exposed to those who prefer to do little, if anything, well. I can imagine no worse hell!
When I learned, early on in life, that doing things very well made me feel good, I also learned something else. Doing everything well means one must develop a high degree of discipline in life. A serious commitment to excellence is impossible without the discipline it takes to maintain such a standard.
Anyone who tells you it's impossible to make a difference in this world has overlooked the obvious. Everything we do makes a difference. The real question is whether the difference we make is positive or negative.
Early in my life I realized that making the world a better place was really a simple matter. Our every thought, act and deed has the power to change the world in great and small ways. The nature of our thoughts and actions defines the nature of the effect we have on ourselves, on others and the world at large.
To make the world a better place, all we need do is create harmony with our thoughts and our actions. And this includes everything from our attitudes to the work we do with our hands and backs, minds and hearts.
If we do our work poorly, we create discord rather than harmony. If we allow our bodies to grow ill from improper nutrition, lack of air, sunshine and exercise, we create discord, not harmony. If we allow our minds to dwell in darkness and our intellects to grow shallow and stagnant, we create disharmony. If we build our homes and buildings of dead, synthetic materials and pollute them with toxic chemicals we only add to the discord. And so on.
The sad truth is it takes just as much work to create discord, as it does to create harmony in all things. Each path requires just as much toil to travel even though they are opposites in nature. The journey to discord is one of pain, sorrow and destitutions; whereas the path to harmony is one of light, abundant life and love.
I chose to travel the path of harmony. I chose to do it right; to complete every task I undertake as good as I possibly can, from the smallest to the greatest and all in between. I may not achieve perfection. In fact, I'm relatively sure I won't. But how can anyone ever be totally satisfied with less?
The pursuit of excellence goes hand in hand with the attainment of harmony in ones life. Mastering the art of discipline is the key that unlocks every door. All who travel the path of harmony learn that yes, everything really does matter!
The greatest reward is the journey itself. And this is the best reason of all to begin now: Do it for you!
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