Question Your Motives

My friend once told me to question my motives, but I've kinda forgotten about it until recently.  Ask yourself

"What's most important?" 

"What am I hoping to gain from this?"

"How is this going to influence what I've been working toward?"

and "Is this really what I want?" 

These questions take me out of the "blindness".  Apparently, I have a very prideful mind and ambition.  I'm not very competitive, but boy do I want to prove that I can do something.  I think we all like to think that we can be the one that succeeds when no one else can.  

During the summer, I was driving down the road with my good friend Andrea.  We suddenly stopped and I looked to see the reason; there was a big, white duck in the middle of the road.  Thankfully, we were in a neighborhood, so no other cars were coming.  Andrea looked at me and said seriously, "Let's touch it!" Why in the world would we want to touch a duck?! Well needless to say, we got out of the car and started walking slowly towards this duck in the middle of the street.  As expected, the duck turned and started to waddle away as soon as we started getting closer.  Back in the car, Andrea brought up this point that sometimes she thinks she can be the one to make the difference and touch the duck.  She went on to explain how she gets a "King Arthur" mindset where she sees a sword in a stone and thinks that she can pull it out. This doesn't just apply to her, I find that I think the same way! ... I don't know why exactly, but my pride steps in and says, "You are different.  You can make it happen when no one else can."  Yes I am different, but why would I be able to touch a duck when no one else can?  I've never really been around ducks or other animals, and I am definitely not an animal whisperer. 

Point of the story is to question your motives.  Why would touching a duck be important?  What would I gain from it? and Is it really what I want?  If it is what you really want and it's the most important thing to you, by all means go and try to touch the duck.  If not, it's not a loss (call off your pride); it's more of a "growing up" moment when you realize that you don't need to touch a duck to be happy. 

This may seem that I'm making a stretch with this, but just think about it.  Are you trying to "touch a duck" just to see if your the one with the magical touch?  I don' think there's anything wrong with trying to touch it, but just don't lose sight of why you're trying.

Oh, Life...  Thanks for reminding me to keep sight of what I really want :)