Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDLXXXII

When I was born, I was just a little baby. What about you? I was completely helpless, able to do absolutely nothing on my own. I was totally without knowledge, therefore all information that came my way was new to me. The first thing I learned was if I cried I would be fed or get my diaper changed. As far as I was concerned, the whole world revolved around me. Still, the information kept coming, and I began to understand the unfortunate fact that there were other people in this world who demanded just as much attention as I did. As time progressed, my parents, knowing I wanted to grow up and be a big boy, began the long, slow process of trying to teach me that I was selfish because I was a baby, and if I wanted to be a big boy, I had to start acting like one, which meant I would have to accept the fact that there were other people around me whose needs were just as important as mine. It has been a long, slow process, more than six decades in the making, but I'm slowly coming to the knowledge that my life goes a whole lot smoother when I live by the motto, "It's not about me." Sure, I want nice things for ME and MY family, and when it's time for me to depart this world, I hope to have a few things I can leave for MY kids. If I don't take care of those items of business, no one will, but if I make that my sole purpose, I'm afraid I'll reach the end of life feeling unfulfilled and never get to experience the best life has to offer. If I continue in my greedy, selfish ways, that means I'm still acting the way I did when I was a baby, and I've yet to grow up and be the "big boy" I always dreamed of being. "When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me." (I Corinthians 13:11 NIV) Is it okay for my good friend to also have other friends? If not, I'm making it all about me. If I'm upset about a decision my preacher made at church, I'm making it all about me. If I have to speed up to get to that good parking spot before that other car gets it, I'm making it all about me. If I expect everyone else to always let me have my way, I'm making it all about me. If I'm constantly whining and complaining, I'm acting like a baby and making it all about me. If I want to always charge you full price, yet I try to talk you out of making a fair profit off me, I'm making it all about me. I wonder what life would be like if everyone could develop an "It's not about me" attitude. There would be no war. There wouldn't even be any fights or arguments. Politicians would truly seek the will of the people. No one would get their feelings hurt. Crime would disappear. There would be no such thing as aggressive drivers. I would be just as happy to see your kids succeed in life as I am for mine. I would make my decisions based on what's best for everyone involved. Yes, when I entered this world, I was a baby, and everything was about me. How nice it would be if long before I die, I will be able to achieve my goal and say, "I finally made it. I'm a big boy now!" Preston