When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.
A monk wrote this 900 years ago, his name forever lost to the mists of time. Did we listen? Of course not. All of us have to reinvent the wheel and make our own mistakes rather than listen to and live the wisdom of the sages through the ages.
Youth is indeed often wasted on the young. Most of us don’t get our priorities straight until much later in life. By then, it’s often too late to be the father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister or friend that we could have been. It’s never too late to become what you might be, of course, but the later we awaken, the more regrets we tend to accumulate.
Begin now to live more consciously. Start by watching your thoughts as if they were someone else’s. By doing so, you become a conscious witness to your own life and begin to see beyond the veil of ignorance and illusion.
Do not delay your awakening. Promising yourself, I’ll play with my kids, or visit my parents, or volunteer tomorrow is a promise you never have to fulfill. Why? Because there is always another tomorrow. Until there isn’t.
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Tags: be your best self, become who you were meant to be, change the world, change yourself, fulfill your potential
Triumph of the Spirit 
April 30, 2009 at 9:52 PM
This post cracked me up! I always wonder what people are waiting for, or why people have so much energy to focus on others, but not to change their own situation.
We have to stop settling for less than we are capable of, and making excuses for ourselves.
It is a continuous and sometimes frustrating process, but I enjoy asking myself, “What kind of person are you now, and what kind of person do you want to be?” This leads to what could be considered self-improvement projects.
Examples:
– I wanted to be a nicer person so I stopped being angry with anyone who was late to meet me. I realized that when someone was late to dinner or whatever, my being mad at them only wasted more of our already shortened time. Being greeted with a smile has happily surprised many latecomers as they were expecting me to be upset. I started smiling four years ago and haven’t stopped since :-)
– Two years ago, I wanted to be more giving of my “stuff”. I started by giving away $5.00 every time I was paid (3x/week). Once, on a cold day in NYC, I offered a homeless man $5 and he refused to take it. Seeing his bare hands, I took off the gloves I was wearing and offered them to him. He was reluctant to take the gloves at first, but accepted them after I assured him I had another pair in my apartment. After that day, I bought about 45 pairs of gloves and gave them out all winter long. It was honestly one of the most fun, humbling, and enlightening things I have ever experienced.
I apologize for the length of this comment! I believe its the result of some cabin fever I have contracted while recovering from recent injuries.
Hope all is well,
Jackie
May 1, 2009 at 8:51 AM
That’s a great question to ask yourself, Jackie: “What kind of person are you now, and what kind of person do you want to be?” And the examples you give are touching and powerful. What a gift you are to the world!