Thursday, March 13, 2008

Deceptive Reasoning...

Why is it that we are always talking ourselves of out things?

This morning, I stopped by Walgreens on my way to work. All the while, trying to pep myself up for my day at work. My job is not the most exciting job in the world, (being a librarian)but I really do like it. I am a provider of information, and we all know that knowledge is power. Therefore, my access to knowledge produces power in those that I help. However, my mind cannot rationalize not having specific tasks to work on that keep me busy throughout the day. While thinking about this, I found myself coming up with reasons why I may not like parts of my job. This is my problem. Deceptive Reasoning. I am talking myself into having negative thoughts for no good reason at all. No matter, what the benefits are of my position, I manage to find a few "negative aspects."I always find something wrong with a job. This could be why after a certain period of time, I get bored, or feel like I have accomplished everything there is to accomplish.

But, back to the story of my short trip into Walgreens.

I went to pick up some "Wal-born." (Walgreens version of Airborn, which by the way, works just as well. )At 7:30 in the morning most people are still waking up, but the cashier at Walgreens was extremely friendly. She did not look like she was unhappy and did not want to be there. Perhaps she was unhappy, but maybe she was thankful to have a job, and maybe she saw the benefits of working there that outweigh some of the negative. Witnessing her positive attitude made me realize that I have nothing to worry about. Whatever fears and excuses I have about my current position, really are just the causatum of my deceptive reasoning.

Have you ever done this? Talked your way out of your fantasies, dreams and goals. Found the negative despite the positive? We all have done it at one point or another.
Today my challenge is not to let deceptive reasoning hold me back any longer. Our minds contain the soil from which seeds are cultiviated to produce an abundant life. In order for this to happen, our minds have to generate nourishing thoughts...no more deceptive reasoning.

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore is not an act but a habit."
-Aristotle

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Stay Prayed Up....?

I often wonder about the state of "black folks" in America. Just when I think that maybe we have made some progress, I realize that we have quite a long way to go. This morning, I was at the gym and a lady came up to me and asked me how to do a certain exercise. I showed her and then we began talking. I told her that I was new to the area and did not really know anyone, then we started talking about Georgia and "it's ways." This particular part of Georgia is almost 60% African-American. The poverty rate is so high, that a major car company decided not to build a plant here, which would have created a ton of jobs for people in the area. They basically said that people here are not smart enough for us to bring our plant here. As we are talking about this and other "black issues," the woman states, "you really have to stay prayed up if you want to make it in this state." Meaning, you have to pray to God that you make it and hope for the best. I found this statement to be very interesting.



If we could actually hear the voice of God, I doubt that it would say, "stay prayed up and hope for the best." I think it would say, "get off your lazy ass and make a difference." The slave mentality has allowed us to accept the state of our current condition. As long as we believe that there is hope in the after-life, we care less about what happens while we are present in our physical beings. The farther south one travels, the more this mind set becomes quite evident. Accept the way things are and hope they will get better. I become heart broken when I think about the way some people are living. People are working full-time jobs and still living on welfare, babies are born and being tracked for a system of violence, jail and drugs by the time they are 3 years old. Students in school are slipping through the cracks , and teachers are becoming frustrated with behavior problems and pressure from administration.



All we can say is "stay prayed up?" I have never in my life observed so many people in one area that seem to be clueless about their condition and that don't realize there is something better out in the world. I also wonder about how I would be if I grew up in a different place and I did not have parents who cared about my education, were educated themselves and dared me to come home with bad grades.....would I be saying the same thing the woman at the gym said? I guess only God knows...meanwhile, I will pray, not to sit around, wait and hope for the best, but for the endurance that I need to have to continue my journey on the road to a better life each and everyday. I want my life to be extraordinary while I am alive to see it! Don't you?