I was thinking this weekend that I wanted to start a revolution of some sort. Something swanky and worthwhile. Something that would require a theme song, a possible parade and perhaps something akin to fantastic parties. But then, I had to go and ruin it by doing some research on revolutions. Turns out, they are all rather violent and borderline revolt-ing.............
So I suppose I'll now settle for just finding a niche in life that will keep me swinging along with greatness. ((But I still want a theme song)) I've decided since we are all bound for greatness, and I really believe we all have something extraordinary to claim in life, it's about time I discovered what my greatness is all about.
Claiming I have greatness does go against the grain of what is considered socially acceptable of course, so I understand some humility is in order here...... For some reason it's considered bad manners to coast along and say to another person, "Hey, I'm full of greatness, did ya know that?"
But, it is perfectly acceptable to say to another, "Oh, I'm a complete mess, life is rough and I'm drowning on a daily basis" That dialogue is A-Ok, but owning a piece of greatness is akin to arrogance, bragging or the Mack Daddy Deadly sin, Pride.
Why Is That?? Perhaps I'm the clueless one here and am teetering on the edge of black listing my journal. Either way I'm going for it.....
I publicly claim, that I have pride in myself. Gasp. There, I'm not deleting it, I've typed it, I have pride in myself and I'm quite certain I'm full of greatness, realized and undiscovered........I know I will never be the greatest at anything, no one really is, but I will find my greatness, I (everyone) deserve as much.
Now I just need to discover something worthy of my theme song and potential one lady parade. Since greatness comes in many forms, I figure the skies the limit for opportunity. I find questioning my motivation can simplify my direction. I know my greatness is not found in money, business, politics, religion, material things, and the standard American dream theory. But I desire fireworks and a sense of Wow, I did that.........somewhere around here, my unrealized greatness, is just waiting to be claimed.
I also know, that no one can guide me to my greatness, not the sort of greatness I seek. I can't compose a personal theme song if someone else writes the lyrics~~~ So now I just need a mission to accomplish. Whether it's climbing a Mountain I would rather not, swimming to the Ocean via rivers fromIdaho, starting a humanitarian cause, baking a cake that's not from a box, etc etc....... the opportunities are limitless.
Awhile ago I wrote something for myself. I wrote, " In a world scattered with broken glass, the love and support from my family and friends always keeps me safe. In a world abundant with fears and choices, I have always felt love was bigger then any mistake I have made. In a lifetime of opportunities, I have risked often, failed with grace and succeeded with humble gratitude. But above all, I have never known a single day without a hint of extraordinary."
Now, I just need to add a touch of greatness to my journey.
Have you touched base with or more importantly, claimed YoUr gReAtneSs today?
Just (observation) curious~~
28 comments:
This is one of my favorite Iris entries ever. Funny but right on point. You should claim this post as your greatness for the day!
That last full paragraph about what you wrote to yourself was phenomenal and inspiring. Words we should all aspire to (I know it should be "to which we all aspire" but that just sounds weird).
Chris
http://inanethoughtsandinsaneramblings.blogspot.com
Pretty funny since I'm just studying on this now. Their is a belief that we like to keep everyone at the same level as us and that suffering is noble. Movies, books, etc. all show hero's journey to a higher level, by immense suffering. It becomes a mantra for the down trodden to believe that if you suffer enough you will be rewarded at some point, if not this life than the next.
No one wants to be left alone. If we lift someone up they can leave us. If you limit them they'll never leave.
"Your income will be the average earnings of your 5 closest friends. It will also hold true of your marriage, relationships, health, etc." ~ Jim Rohn
What I learned this morning. ~ Mike
I can see why you're an award winning writer. This was rather profound. Something I never thought of before. At the moment I'm not particularly proud of myself. Perhaps by the time I go to bed tonight I'll find some greatness. Lord knows, I've never LOOKED for any. That's a big monkey wrench in the works, isn't it?
MJ
Know how much you love irises, so here you go:
http://journals.aol.com/benu4444/CreativityBitsandPieces/entries/2008/05/17/irises/1502
I believe every person has talents...things they are motivated to share. Somewhere in that sharing process, a greatness exists. Change the spelling of great and what do you get? Grateful? Something to think about: Grateful and great. A person could write a book about these things. :-)
B.
There is wisdom in turning as often as possible from the familiar to the
unfamiliar: it keeps the mind nimble, it kills prejudice, and it fosters
humor. -George Santayana, philosopher (1863-1952)
Oh, you and I are so alike. This need and desire to be great and humble at the same time, the struggle with the contradiction seemingly inherent in those two concurrent urges. Out of all the quotes in my 30 page quote file, (I crib them from my daily "Word-a-day" for moments like these), I thought the Santayana most potentially helpful. Sometimes going out of my comfort zone serves to expand my sense of myself and my capacities, but the growth is horizontal, I'm bigger but not better, greater but not superior.
If you've never been to a Gay Pride celebration, they're all over in the summer, you should consider it. It is that fun revolution you seek personifed, and not being gay yourself, it's all the more an opportunity to claim your common humanity.
I don't mind pride one bit, think it should be trotted around some, but I feel some of the arrogance in the world could take a vaca & I'd be just as content or more so. Also, I'm not a person(& I've taken major hits for this) who wants to give each kid a WORLDS GREATEST ribbon for everything, nor each adult. I often say when random babies crossing my path are ugly, & I don't write THAT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'VE EVER READ when I don't like someone's poem. Even(or especially) if they've already explained how wonderful it is. I've met so many people who think they should be famous, on Oprah, or president of a Fortune 500 company that it now brings on a YAWN.
A friend of my Dad's told me I was great-hearted when the going got tough with Dad. I'll take that instead. ~Mary
Rebecca,
I can think of a couple of things that make you great. The first is just being you. The second is your wonderful family.....how about the fact that you can claim to be a mountain woman, not afraid of bears or hunting with a bow and arrow? Rebecca Anne, I would be happy to be the drum major leading the band. Lets just find a song.
David
Wishing you a great week!!!! Keep up the positive. Hugs,TerryAnn
While I don't think I'm the greatest at anything, I do believe I am great at a number of things. - Barbara
I think I've been on the bandwagon of blacklisting my journal for some time now...ponders that one for a bit, but you know what it's never about the numbers is it? I'm realizing those who remain are the ones who get me and appreciate what I'm about. Pickles and I are joining the parade by the way. I've always thought there was alot of Ness about you and that was before I crossed the bridge to truly get to know you. Now that I have...totally got it right on my first perceptions. If I'm being honest - I haven't gotten to the point of feeling I'm much worth a nod let alone greatness. Having said that I take lessons really well dear friend. By the way I know what tomorrow is...call it a little indepth research, or rather I've been immersed in your back logs while I'm trying to find my muse again after recent events (winks)....(Hugs) You've been in my thoughts alot lately. Indigo
Greatness. In thinking on this, I'd have to say that the greatness in my life is that I know that on a daily basis, I make a difference in someone else's life. This greatness is simple, small, personal, yet profound in the feeling it leaves behind in my heart. Not something that requires parades, or parties, but perhaps just a quiet reflection on a "one person revolution" of just leaving some positive enrgy in my wake.
Hugz, Leigh
On an entirely different note than my comment below...I just noticed the graphic on your sidebar with the woman with one wing...wow...I truly grasp that imagery - broken flying on one wing. Art eerily portrays life. (Hugs) Indigo
You know what I think is great? That in preparing yourself for the undiscovered greatness within you ~ and sharing those possibilities, you are awakening that same thought provoking idea in the minds of others. How many will read this, ponder their own "ness" and pass that thought on to the next person? I know I will....
I like to think about the places where I make a difference in someone's life. At home, in the classroom, walking down the street and offering a kind and simple gesture to someone who may not have had human contact in days... That sort of thing. Is that greatness? It sure can lead to it, if done often enough and with the utmost sincerity.
Thank you for you, Rebecca.
Michelle
Nothing is as powerful, as curative, as healing, as nourishing...No nothing...compares to greatness of LOVE. Love is the parent to all other accomplishments...just ask anyone who has achieved greatness, the first words they say are "well I love doing this....."
For every soul that Loves, shows and expresses it, and provokes it in others...greatness prevails.
I didn't build any bridges, nor climb Mount Everest, hold an elected position in government. I didn't walk in Space, win the MVP in any sport,nor earn my potential in wages. .....But every single waking moment of my life...I loved...Parents, people, wife, children. I loved the books I read,the laughter and song I heard, the meals that were prepared for me with love.
I loved my jobs, tending the garden, doing the laundry, waiting at an airport, my first sip of morning coffee.
I love being enlightened by new ideas, seeing new places and revisiting old ones.
I love reading journals (especially yours).
I've done nothing great, but I have experienced, tasted and have been touched by greatest thing known to man....LOVE.
So please start that revolution, and be prepared to have lots of company marching in it...because we all came here searching for the same thing , define it it anyway you want, it will always be called LOVE.
It's the one thing that makes each and every one of us experience greatness!!!!
Theme song...."Love is all you Need" ~ The Beatles
Peace & Love, Marc :)
I know I'm great, and that's ok because I think everyone else is great too!
Marie
http://ayearatoakcottage.blogspot.com/
Happy Birthday. Hope you have a great day. ~ Mike
It's your birthday, or was?! Well, great -- have an extremely extraordinary fantastic one-woman parade type of day, nah, YEAR! :)
You're correct -- we all are part extraordinary. Your words are part of your gift to us, hopefully to yourself as well, and your love is part of your gift to your daughters and those who surround you. But, what means greatness to YOU?
Hmmmmmmm, what does it mean to ME? MOI?
I'm less good at this, like society and its norms. I'm better at being so very proud of my daughter, than of myself.
Enjoy living in the light and figuring out your gifts and greatness! We all should, even while mired in the details of making life move ahead "productively." (Can you tell I'm at work?). Good way to go viewing this new fresh year of your life, Rebecca. Embracing it, self-actualization, whatever. I like it. Go for it!
Now, that was a "great" read.
Thanks, Pat
I think that your greatness shines everyday. I am or try everyday to be positive. I believe that we can find the reasoning for everything that happens to us; good or bad. Yes, I do believe that everyone has greatness of their own. Greatness can be small or huge, and yes, it is in everyday that we see a hint of extraordinary.
I believe that just questioning and living is touching that part of greatness in our life. Like I say now, since my divorce, Life goes on! What you do with it depends on YOU, where it takes you depends on YOU, How you live it depends on YOU, why things happen depends on YOU, and when it happens depends on YOU. This is life....... Ain't LIFE great.....
Yes it is ourselves that can guide us to OUR greatness, but..... maybe your mission can be to find those words for that theme song you are looking for and maybe give us the words that will guide everyone else to our greatness. Just a thought......
You have a way with words, how to express them and yourself, or that is how I feel. Reading your journal gives me so much; though, hope, and so much more. Thank you....
There I said it....
~BRIN
Rebecca, I don't doubt for a moment that you will find your greatness (or should it be Greatness?)!
Congrats on being Guest Editor--it's surprising hard to pick just a few, isn't it? I look forward to seeing your picks.
Enjoy your weekend,
Beth
It's good that you can say that you know you are a great person. I wish I could find it in me. I have tried some things to try and make myself a better person but do you know something always happens? There is something always there holding me back or being thrown back in my face. I think it's just my luck, that's all. Find something wonderful to do with yourself, help someone else if you can, it will make you feel even better. (((HUGS))) -Missy http://journals.aol.com/ma24179/MISSYZSTUFF
Congratulations on being the Guest Editor :o)
http://journals.aol.com/buckoclown/Bucko
Congrats on being the guest editor! -Dawn-
Your mind should be preserved and placed in a prominent spot in an art museum. You are so enjoyable to read.
Congratulations, Guest Editor! I am a first time visitor here, and here is the first entry I read! Someone is owning up to their greatness, to their grand potential! Amen to this! Amen. You are truly aware of all the beauty in your life. bea
First; mazol tov on being picked as editon of the week.
Two. And what is wrong with wnatinf to reach out and do great things? I htink of King David who wanted to build a house of worship for G-d. G-d said no, because you were a man of war, you will not build it, but because you wanted to build Me a house, I will bild yur house(family) and it will be your son that will build my house.
King David spend the rest of his life gathering the finiest materials so that his son Solomon wold indeed build that house.
There isn't a thing wrong with aiming for greatness. If anyone has a problem with that...that is thier problem.
Aim for the Moon, if you miss, you atleast hit a star ;)
Laini
http://journals.aol.com/mereel2005/Love-from-Iraq
I love this post. It reminds me of a Carly Simon song that I feel connected to, "Touched by the Sun." I think that you should write your own theme song! Viva la revolution of claiming one's own greatness! (Totally bloodless of course.)--Sheria
Sorry...gotta' do this...I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!...hehehe...sorry. Solid as ever...brillliant. ;) C.
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