Friday, April 20, 2012
"What is a choice you regret making to this day and why?"
There is only one reason that someone should live with regrets; that is if he or she did not learn from an experience. Hindsight is always 20/20. If we are mindful, every experience in our lives, whether it be positive or negative, is just that--experience. All we can do is make the best decision possible with the information we have at hand.
It's too easy to simply regret--"Oh, I should have chosen differently." That's futile. You did not know what you now know at the time the decision was made.
In reality, one should learn from mistakes, and simply take them as information--"This choice did not work out how I intended it to, but I can take the information I've gathered from my actions' consequences and apply them to my future."
Without mindfulness, or without the desire to learn, grow, and better oneself, there is regret... But only in those circumstances. Fill those voids and you eliminate regret.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Being a gentleman
A true gentleman conducts himself with goodwill and propriety. He maintains self-control in his actions and shows purposeful thought. He lives by the values he holds. He is humble and recognizes the power of silence. He is sincere and appears well in any company.
Easy enough, yeah?
Easy enough, yeah?
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Isolation
I've grown a lot since my college career began. I've gone through many phases, many changes, many highs and lows. I recognize how far I've come sometimes just by looking at old pictures of myself and remember what my value system was at the time it was taken.
Where am I now? I seem to be approaching some sort of conclusion. The experiment is over. The whole thrill of trying new things in college seems to not be something I desire much anymore. I know who I am and I know what I want.
Example 1) I don't care much for alcohol or drugs. Through experience, I know that I am not myself when under the influence. I like myself, who would I want to be anyone else? Taken further, I recognize I don't often give my body drugs of any kind--even caffeine. My body runs pretty cleanly, not gunked up with anything. I know I am so lucky to be healthy too, where my body doesn't need some drug to function properly.
Example 2) Living as an RA for the past year, I did not have a roommate. I lived in a dorm room alone. Sometimes the loneliness gets to me. I am a very peaceful person--I like the quiet, but there are times when I simply need and enjoy the consistent presence of other people in my life. I realize that living without a roommate is not how I want to live. Living alone is not how I want to live. Roommates are one thing, but I realize that what I truly want is a family.
I recently travelled to Ireland to spend a week with my best friend and (it's hard to find a word, but I suppose you could say) my significant other. That was magical. Truly living with someone. We spent all day and night together for a solid week. I loved it. As I came back home to the States, I found myself wanting to interact with my family more. I wanted to join my parents as they went to some Home/Garden expo show, even if purely to spend time with them.
I can compare that feeling or companionship and belonging to the one of sitting alone in a dorm room, and there is no contest.
I know that my future life plans may not be all that conducive to a stable, settled-down family, but I know that it's something I want and need.
I envy the day I have a family of my own. A partner, a companion, a significant other.
Of course, I know that things are always changing and dynamic. I know that whatever conclusion this may be, there is always further to progress. I feel as if I have ended a chapter--the chapter of experimentation. But there are still so many chapters left before the end of my novel.
Where am I now? I seem to be approaching some sort of conclusion. The experiment is over. The whole thrill of trying new things in college seems to not be something I desire much anymore. I know who I am and I know what I want.
Example 1) I don't care much for alcohol or drugs. Through experience, I know that I am not myself when under the influence. I like myself, who would I want to be anyone else? Taken further, I recognize I don't often give my body drugs of any kind--even caffeine. My body runs pretty cleanly, not gunked up with anything. I know I am so lucky to be healthy too, where my body doesn't need some drug to function properly.
Example 2) Living as an RA for the past year, I did not have a roommate. I lived in a dorm room alone. Sometimes the loneliness gets to me. I am a very peaceful person--I like the quiet, but there are times when I simply need and enjoy the consistent presence of other people in my life. I realize that living without a roommate is not how I want to live. Living alone is not how I want to live. Roommates are one thing, but I realize that what I truly want is a family.
I recently travelled to Ireland to spend a week with my best friend and (it's hard to find a word, but I suppose you could say) my significant other. That was magical. Truly living with someone. We spent all day and night together for a solid week. I loved it. As I came back home to the States, I found myself wanting to interact with my family more. I wanted to join my parents as they went to some Home/Garden expo show, even if purely to spend time with them.
I can compare that feeling or companionship and belonging to the one of sitting alone in a dorm room, and there is no contest.
I know that my future life plans may not be all that conducive to a stable, settled-down family, but I know that it's something I want and need.
I envy the day I have a family of my own. A partner, a companion, a significant other.
Of course, I know that things are always changing and dynamic. I know that whatever conclusion this may be, there is always further to progress. I feel as if I have ended a chapter--the chapter of experimentation. But there are still so many chapters left before the end of my novel.
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