Day 276 – Just like dad did…
Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World
Scripture focus: A wicked man puts up a bold front, but an upright man gives thought to his ways. Proverbs 21:29 NIV
Lesson one: Don’t bluff your way through life – think before you act.
I don’t think you can watch the video, or read the book called The Last Lecture without realizing that this guy thought about life, and how he wanted to live it. It was not a desperate, last minute assessment. Randy Pausch lived a thoughtful life from the time he was a little kid, all the way up until the moment he delivered his lecture. So I have to ask – are you leading a thoughtful life? I’m not talking about thinking obsessively about life circumstances; I’m talking about thinking about things like the meaning of life – and your place in a bigger story. This isn’t about an auto-biographical tale; it’s about taking our rightful place in history. How will others remember us? Would anyone find our last lecture worth attending?
Pausch grew up in a family that taught him how to think. They also provided him with core values that he chose to adopt and try to pass on to his own children. More questions – what core values are you living by? What are your children learning from you?
Last night I watched my son reach into his wallet to grab a couple dollars. His wallet was swollen and misshapen. In fact, it looks exactly like his dad’s wallet; and his brother’s; and even his sister’s (although hers is a much cooler color). Why do their wallets look so bulky? Do they carry around a stash of cash? Nope! They carry around receipts. Every single solitary receipt they’ve ever acquired is lodged lumpily in their wallet. This would make sense if these receipts were records of important transactions - evidence that they purchase things, rather than steal them! Receipts are great to hold onto if you ever think you’ll return a purchase, or need a proof of purchase for a coupon deal. That’s not what my gang has in their wallet. They save receipts from fast food chains and drive-through windows, expensive coffee and chai tea, and grocery store purchases. Why do they do this? Because they watched their dad do it. They imitate their daddy. I’ve talked sternly to all of them about this compulsion. I’ve suggested that they use more discretion when it comes to receipt collecting. Each of them listens politely, nods, and then scrunches up their face in pain. They simply can’t stop doing what they watched their dad do all their lives. My arguments make sense, they report. Wallets would last longer – I suggest and they agree. But there is something about the act of imitation that is very hard to shake.
First, there is a thought. (Look what my dad is doing with his receipts.)
Next, there is exposure. (My dad does this with every receipt – no receipt is too trivial to be saved.)
Third, there is habitual exposure. (They watched their dad buy a lot of stuff over the years.)
Fourth, there is imitation – that becomes habitual, and eventually is practiced without consciousness.
Thought is required for the first few steps – but after that, it’s auto-pilot. Pausch uncovers a lot of the things he was exposed to growing up in his lecture – what things were you exposed to? Is there anything you’re practicing, without thought, that you might need to revisit?
Recommended reading: Jeremiah 1 and 2 in the morning; Philippians 4 and Psalm 50 in the evening
Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community
No comments:
Post a Comment