Enjoyment and achievement, how do they relate...

[cjsmith]

Thanks to cassidyrose for pointing out this neat Molly Ivins column. The last coupla paragraphs really got me going.

Yeah:

Here's to those of us who like to play dress-up, but don't happen to have the particular kind of genetic twist that'll make it to the fashion show runway. Here's to those of us who lift weights without the myostatin deletion gene. Here's to those of us who enjoy trying, even when we're not the best, even when we're surrounded by overly competitive spirits and fragile blustering egos and people with walls and shelves full of awards we ourselves will never win. Here's to those of us who have to work twice as hard as the next guy, but who have a good time doing it. Here's to those of us who can enjoy life even though we'll never get kudos or recognition or sometimes even thanks for what we do.

And you know what?

Here's to those of us who are still learning how to enjoy life under those circumstances. Here's to those of us who do hurt when we hear someone mutter "loser", who are sad that we're always the bridesmaid. Here's to those of us who congratulate the winner and smile for the family photo anyway, because our pain should be invisible. (After all, we only got what we deserved, right? Ask anybody with awards on his shelf and that's what he'll be happy to tell you.) Here's to everyone who has ever felt pain when a dream finally died.

Comments

Here's to you CJ

[wcg.livejournal.com]

I figured out a long time ago as a young Marine that being the best wasn't near as important as being good at whatever the heck I was supposed to be doing. You, from all I can tell, are good at a whole lot of things. In my estimation that puts you way out in front of the millionaire baseball players and high fashion models.

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of a song by The Call that my dad loved (I also really like it). I remember buying him the tape single of it. I think it has special meaning for him because his secondary job was substitute teaching and he was very driven by his love of teaching. Anyhow, the song is called "Let the day begin" Here are the lyrics:

Let the Day Begin
Michael Been/The Call

Here's to the babies in a brand new world
Here's to the beauty of the stars
Here's to the travellers on the open road
Here's to the dreamers in the bars

Here's to the teachers in the crowded rooms
Here's to the workers in the fields
Here's to the preachers of the sacred words
Here's to the drivers at the wheel

Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin, let the day begin

Here's to the winners of the human race
Here's to the losers in the game
Here's to the soldiers of the bitter war
Here's to the wall that bears their names

Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin, let the day begin, let the day start

Here's to the doctors and their healing work
Here's to the loved ones in their care
Here's to the strangers on the streets tonight
Here's to the lonely everywhere

Here's to the wisdom from the mouths of babes
Here's to the lions in the cage
Here's to the struggles of the silent war
Here's to the closing of the age.

Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin
Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin

Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Let the day begin
Here's to you my little loves with blessings from above
Now let the day begin, let the day begin, let the day start

[cassidyrose.livejournal.com]

Here's to those of us who have to work twice as hard as the next guy, but who have a good time doing it.

I really like what you say here. It reminds me of myself and dance. As an adult who had a thirteen year lapse in my dance training, I do often have to work twice as hard as the fifteen year olds in my dance classes that have been training since the age of three. However, I do it because I love to dance and train. I know I will never be a star, but I work my ass off anyhow for the sheer joy of doing so. And I can shine like a star when doing so, and that is sometimes what is most important.

[lkeele.livejournal.com]

An excellent sentiment for those of us who are afraid to try anything we're not perfect at. (And who can be perfect at things they haven't tried?)