This week, we are going to take a break from our normal programing so that I can introduce you to another one of my projects. Welcome to Musings after Midnight, an eclectic mix of shorts written during the early morning hours; the part of the day when my thoughts are free wander unencumbered by what work expects from me or my family needs of me.
This morning I was reminded of the story of the Dodo, that flightless bird now extinct, is best known as a character in Alice in Wonderland. The Dodo, using today’s terminology, received a thimble from Alice who then “re-gifts” it back to the her as a participation trophy for merely completing in an ill-defined and unstructured race. There were no winners or losers, just participants. The author leads us to believe that the heart-felt gesture was the prize more sought after than winning the race.
The Real World
Is that really how the world works? Do we all get the token jobs regardless of how hard we worked, how much we prepared or how well we did in school? Should I expect the same toned muscles from sitting on the couch the better part of my day eating ice cream as someone like my daughter who exercises religiously and controls her diet? More on that a little later.
There should be a reward commensurate with the risks taken; the operative words in this statement being “should be.”
Bob vs. The Beer Guy
Consider our hero; his name, lets call him Bob. His life could be best described as static. Breakfast at 6:15am every morning and his favorite —meatloaf— cooked in a crock pot every Tuesday night are just two of his many rituals. Pizza from a drive thru window is tantamount to living life on the edge; a life that our hero may someday need to embrace.
He lives his life between the rails; rails that define his tolerance for risk, yet deprive him of the chance that he will ever experience great success or face an inevitable failure. More comfortable in a world that he could define, with outcomes he could anticipate, rather than one that required chance, flexibility or, heaven forbid, uncertainty.
In contrast, meet the antithesis of Bob. His life is much different; it is characterized by its peaks and valleys and his willingness to travel through rather than avoid. His encounters and experiences, both euphoric and gut wrenching, will contribute another paragraph or page in the narrative that, when complete, will become the story of his life. Picture the guy telling you to “stay thirsty my friend.”
Does he expect outcomes and accolades for his efforts to be the same as Bob’s?
My Gift to You
Each day, we get to decide, or have to decide, how we want that narrative to read and who we want to reach. Is your goal a participation trophy, similar to a gift from an extinct flightless bird, as a token for just showing up? A first place ribbon or two on the walls to add color would be nice, but to you is it worth the added effort?
Last week, the question was, “What would you fight for?” a phase that may be too antagonistic and incendiary for the more gentle spirits of today. Congratulations, your thimble is on its way. It may take a while to get to you, extinct flightless birds that are in the delivery business are hard to find.
Change is Possible
Most people I know would rather do the time, put in the hard labor, to place something of more meaning on their “shelf” than a simple thimble. If you are not, there is still hope. Change can happen, I have been told that new habits can be formed, and by extension, calories can be burned. Based on the title of a book my daughter added to my reading list, I must have far too many thimbles on my shelf.
All this time, I thought the rewards card that I received from someone named Dodo was a joke.
Thanks for stopping by. It was nice to have some company at this early hour.
Thanks for reading, liking and sharing.
Al Van Dyk
You will have to forgive Ivy. Like every other teenager, she thinks it’s her purpose in life to sleep in. I fear that she has lost interest in the role of sidekick since she is no longer a pup. She told me to talk to her agent.