Appreciation
It's really easy to get frustrated when you don't feel appreciated for all the hard work you do.
I'm certain there are boatloads of people who read that statement and are thinking, "HELL YEAH, it is!"
Sometimes those people are even ignored, or forgotten about.
If you're one of those people, you probably think, "Well, I wonder how much they'll miss me when I'm not here anymore.." or "would everything come crashing to a halt if I weren't here??" I find myself thinking it all the time. It's downright irritating and makes a person feel like he's being used.
But after this afternoon I had a few minutes to put it all in perspective. Yeah, sure it can be annoying to even miss a simple "thank you," but I figured it's about time for me to get off my damned high horse about it. I'm not here to be admired or praised for what I do. While I admit that it can be encouraging to be told that my work is appreciated or even enjoyed, I'm here only to leave this world a little better than I found it. I try to put that in perspective whenever I do something: "Is this going to make someone's life a little better?" or "Am I going to benefit anyone other than myself from this?"
It's foolish of me to feel downtrodden or upset when the things I do are not recognized. The people in life who make all the difference aren't the ones who come to mind first, but the people who rarely come to mind at all. And I'm not out to make the biggest difference or save the world or anything like that; I just want to do something that makes me feel useful.
So today marks the end of my petty annoyances. Though I put the expectation of the kids I work with, I don't ever want to be someone who is pedantic about other people's manners other than myself. Naggers just annoy people; instead I'd rather lead by example.
On a completely unrelated note, this painting (after being cut into jigsaw puzzle pieces and set into a beautiful black frame) was one of the top sellers at this year's MSD Auction Among the Stars. It went for over a grand!!!
I'm certain there are boatloads of people who read that statement and are thinking, "HELL YEAH, it is!"
Sometimes those people are even ignored, or forgotten about.
If you're one of those people, you probably think, "Well, I wonder how much they'll miss me when I'm not here anymore.." or "would everything come crashing to a halt if I weren't here??" I find myself thinking it all the time. It's downright irritating and makes a person feel like he's being used.
But after this afternoon I had a few minutes to put it all in perspective. Yeah, sure it can be annoying to even miss a simple "thank you," but I figured it's about time for me to get off my damned high horse about it. I'm not here to be admired or praised for what I do. While I admit that it can be encouraging to be told that my work is appreciated or even enjoyed, I'm here only to leave this world a little better than I found it. I try to put that in perspective whenever I do something: "Is this going to make someone's life a little better?" or "Am I going to benefit anyone other than myself from this?"
It's foolish of me to feel downtrodden or upset when the things I do are not recognized. The people in life who make all the difference aren't the ones who come to mind first, but the people who rarely come to mind at all. And I'm not out to make the biggest difference or save the world or anything like that; I just want to do something that makes me feel useful.
So today marks the end of my petty annoyances. Though I put the expectation of the kids I work with, I don't ever want to be someone who is pedantic about other people's manners other than myself. Naggers just annoy people; instead I'd rather lead by example.
On a completely unrelated note, this painting (after being cut into jigsaw puzzle pieces and set into a beautiful black frame) was one of the top sellers at this year's MSD Auction Among the Stars. It went for over a grand!!!