itsawonderfilledlife

“Just one of those boring, quiet, faithful men” was the line I heard, last week, that kept ringing in my head … for days.

No one would ever imagine such a boring individual as a life mate, or accomplishing much, exciting the masses or changing the world.

We humans want thrills, charm and excitement from one who is well-spoken, smiling and effervescent. We want people who can inspire us with their philosophies, motivational techniques, books, quotes, podcasts and blogs.

Yet …

” … it is a sign of marked political weakness in any commonwealth
if the people tend to be carried away by mere oratory,
if they tend to value words in and for themselves,
as divorced from the deeds for which they are supposed to stand.”
It is not the critic who counts;
not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles,
or where the doer of deeds could have done them better …

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena,
whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood;
who strives valiantly;
who errs,
who comes short again and again,
because there is no effort without error and shortcoming;
but who does actually strive to do the deeds;
who knows great enthusiasms,
the great devotions;
who spends himself in a worthy cause;
who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement,
and who at the worst,
if he fails,
at least fails while daring greatly,
so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls
who neither know victory
nor defeat.”
-Theodore Roosevelt (from Citizen in a Republic, 04-23-10)

We listen to the voices of musicians, reality-TV stars and politicians for stability, while ignoring the wealth of experience and expertise in our grandparents, that ethical business owner, that woman who raised her children on her own after her husband left, never to return.

Our philosophers today are people famous for athletic accomplishments, films and Ted talks, rather than from well-read, hard-working, well-lived individuals who understand the value in doing what they do best, and doing it with consistency … even, no especially, when it is hard, boring and provides no praise.

May we be consistent in love, work and life … even when it is hard and boring.