I am evaluating the purpose of my blogging. It seems to me that there are many writers out there who are far better at the craft and whose contributions are infinitely more valuable. As I search for something meaningful to do with my life, I am not convinced that this is it. I can go several days without speaking to another human being and thus it is nice to 'give voice' to my thoughts, but if this is it- if this is all my life is to contain- then it ought to be given more thought and better effort or not done at all.
Today is my birthday. I am 51. I have officially lived longer than my mother. I have survived several major earthquakes, three fires, five floods, uterine cancer, having my infant body burned by percolating coffee and a childhood from hell. I have been stalked by a madman, been asked to be interviewed for the Australian version of 60 Minutes, received a bronze medal and helped foil a kidnap attempt of a celebrity. In my short 51 years, I have had an incredible life. I was asked by a former student what advice I would give a 30 year old that I have come to value now that I am in my 50s. The list of things that I value now that I didn't value then and vice versa is huge. Since my current topic is discipline, I would have to say that I wish I had cultivated discipline at an earlier age. Much earlier than my 30s. I wish I had learned the difference between need and want sooner. I have tried too hard to fulfill wants as if they were needs. The want vacuum just moves, it doesn...
Comments