Oct 22 2008
Where Do You Get Good Directions? or, You Can’t Get There From Here.
How many times have you been given directions only to end up more lost than you were before?
The problem could be a number of things. Maybe you didn’t let them know exactly where you wanted to go. Maybe they don’t really know how to get there, but they didn’t want to admit that they didn’t know everything. Maybe their idea of where you want to go is different than yours. Maybe the place you want to go is known only to you. Maybe you just can’t get there from where you’re at.
How many of you got good direction when you were young? From your parents, counselors, teachers, coaches, preachers. Did any of them really try to find out where you wanted to go or did they just push you out and away in an other direction? Maybe they gave you a general encouragement to do something. Anything. Maybe they didn’t give you anything and just left you to fend for yourself.
When I was in grade school and high school, I was not a good student. The teachers and guidance counselors wrote me off as a trouble maker, underachiever, incorrigible. None of them ever tried to find out why.
My parents always told me that I just didn’t apply myself. I could be anything I wanted to be as long as I tried.
I told them what the problem was. I was bored. I always felt that they couldn’t keep up with me. I was already better than what they had to offer. For years, no matter where I was, I always felt as though I was one of the smartest people in the room. No matter what the room.
Once you leave home, or go away to college, you only have yourself for direction. No one else is going to care if you succeed or not. Where do you go for direction then?
Many students I knew then, and people I meet now, say that they had mentors in college or in their careers that helped them find their way. I never had that. Well not really.
Once a boss told me that she would take me under her wing and make me the best ever. Unfortunately, what she had to teach me was nothing I needed to learn. She lied, cheated, stole.
Even though I knew it was wrong, I learned it all. I knew I was better than that, so I moved on and remembered.
She was one of many people I have meet in life that wanted nothing more than to use me for their own benefit. They didn’t care about me. Only what I could do for them.
My teachers only wanted to pad their stats to make it look like they were good teachers. My baseball coaches only wanted me to win games. My employers only wanted me to make them money.
What about what I wanted? Who was looking out for me? Who Is looking out for children today?
No child left behind. Ya right. From what I see, they’re all getting left behind. And it’s not just the children. All of us are still being left behind. As adults, we look to our communities, our religions, our cities, our states and our government for direction. Look at where they have led us.
What is any body doing to fix things? Pointing fingers. Laying blame. Lying.
“Follow me, I can fix the world.” they all say. My form of greed and corruption is better than their form of greed and corruption.
I’m not sure of much any more. Seems the older I get, the less I know. What I am sure about, is that we, as a people, not just Americans, but as humans, are severely lost and no one seems to know the way.
I would be happy to tell you where to go, but I’m not sure you can get there from here.
