Appreciation – Page 12 – Grandpa Bob Encouraging Leadership

Searching for Utopia

That elusive place or time where everything is perfect…

In Utopia, everyone is an ally. There’s no struggle to determine who will lead, and who will follow. There is no disagreement or dissention among the inhabitants. The definition of what’s important is known and accepted by all. All roles and activities in Utopia are complementary, and synchronized perfectly. Each person knows their role and is happy and content to remain in that role. There is no envy in Utopia. There are no outside influencers with contrary ideas. There are no existential threats to Utopia. In Utopia, there is no competition. Humans live and work in complete harmony and happiness.

Cue the sound of a record scratching!

Put at least three humans together, and watch the non-Utopian dynamics unfold.

The group may be focused on delivering food to the homeless, winning a pick-up basketball game, planning a party, or running a Fortune 500 company. It doesn’t matter whether there are three members in the group, three hundred, or three thousand. The realities of human nature prevent Utopian agreement and synchronicity among the participants. It’s a good thing. Imagine how few new discoveries would happen if everyone were trapped in Utopia.

And yet, many spend their lives searching for it. That elusive place or time where everything is perfect. They bounce from one relationship to another, from one city to another, from one company to another…never quite finding their version of Utopia. A deepening sense of urgency, even profound disappointment, creeps into their subconscious as their fruitless search continues.

Utopia isn’t a place, a time, or a group. It’s what you make for yourself and those you love. It’s how you treat others. It’s how you treat yourself. Utopia is where you are each day, if you get out the way and allow yourself to enjoy it.

One could argue that this view of personal Utopia is, in a word, Utopian, and therefore impossible.

That may be true, and this argument will continue long after my time on the planet.

In the meantime, I’ll focus on enjoying my Utopia while others continue their search.

Photo Credit: Diane Anderson

Ode to the Rusty Chain

It used to be important. Its strength was unquestionable.

Ever noticed it sitting there, sometimes coiled neatly, but usually just piled in a corner? It used to be important. Its strength was unquestionable. Its purpose was clear.

Now it sits, out of sight, and out of mind. It waits for a call to action that will never come. Many of its links are bent and twisted. Rust has taken its shine and luster. Time has sapped its strength.

The rusted chain rests. Its inevitable return to Nature has begun.

It has no memories. Its time and experience will add no wisdom. It has no strength of character. No moral values to impart. No lessons to teach. Nothing to pass on to future generations.

It is, after all, just a chain.

The Candy Store

Imagine you’re a candy lover…

Imagine you’re a candy lover. You like all types of candy. Actually, that’s not so hard to imagine for most of us.

Imagine you’re placed inside a candy store. Every type of candy is there. All of your favorites, and some that you’ve always wanted to try, are right there for you. New flavors arrive all the time.

You get to have as much candy as you want. No worries about calories, sugar content, cavities, or the inevitable sugar crash. Just great candy, and it’s all yours.

Two rules:

you only get thirty minutes
you can’t take any of the candy with you

I’ve come to view life as that candy store…especially since I’ve been in here for at least fifteen of my minutes.

Here are seven things I’ve learned about the candy store, so far:

It’s important to get the lay of the land before grabbing handfuls of candy.
The best flavors are the most subtle, and often take time to enjoy.
Some candy flavors mix well, others, not so much.
I’ll never be able to taste all of the candy in the store, and that’s okay.
There are just about as many sour candies as there are sweet. The sour ones help me appreciate the sweet flavors even more.
Most of the candy melts in your hand if you hold on to it for too long.
The best candy, whether sweet or sour, is the candy that you share with those you love.

Searching for Awesomeness

How’s your search going?

How’s your search going? Have you found the awesomeness you’ve been seeking?

There are a lot of awesome nouns (people, places, things) out there. A whole bunch of awesome verbs. And, don’t forget about all the awesome adjectives. String these together in almost infinite patterns, and you have the makings of a lot of awesomeness.

The sound of steaks sizzling on the grill, a beautiful sunset, the sparkle in someone’s eye when you’ve taught them something they never knew, the quiet stillness of a starting line just before the starter’s gun goes off, the aroma of a perfect cup of coffee as the sun comes up, the crackle of a campfire, watching your daughter roast a marshmallow to perfection.

The search for awesomeness should be an easy one. It’s all around us.

Sadly, for some, finding awesomeness is impossible.

That’s because they don’t realize that awesomeness isn’t about what’s outside. It’s not about what we see, touch, or hear. It isn’t what we smell or taste. It isn’t even about who is with us.

Our thoughts drive who we are, what we’ll be, where we’re going, and how we look at the world. To find and experience awesomeness, we must first open ourselves to gratitude and appreciation. Without gratitude and appreciation, all of the awesomeness in this world (and beyond) are merely nouns, verbs, and adjectives, waiting to be combined.

The search for awesomeness starts and ends within each of us. Gratitude is our compass. Appreciation is our map.

[This post marks the first anniversary of my blog. My goal was to publish one post per week, and limit their length to no more than 500 words. This is my 58^th post, and I think only one went over my self-imposed word limit (but, it was one of my favorites).

I’m grateful and appreciative that you have taken the time to read my posts. I hope you found them encouraging, informative, and maybe a little thought provoking.]