They say that with the right inspiration and motivation, one can write with the most effectiveness, efficiency, and pleasure. I am yet again feeling this need to write with all the thoughts which involuntarily are coming into my head in ways appealing to blog about.
I've noticed that these thoughts usually spring up during good conversations. I've been having some with very special people lately, but one which particularly stood out was that of my dad. In my opinion, it was special because I rarely have these sorts of conversations with my dad - you know, the ones where you feel some bonding, some inspiration, something to remember coming on. And it isn't even his fault. Oftentimes I fail him and the God who gave him to me by acting on my own cynical opinions on any matter or request communicated to through him.
It was also special in the sense that I simply did not think that a guy like him would have the same pet peeve that I would have. Texting taxi drivers get on my nerves, but another group of people that's also up there in my top ten are leeches. I've previously defined leeches as people who feed off of you for their own attention.
What is a 'leech', you ask? Well, imagine this scene. I could imagine some of you guys have been in this situation too.
You're in a group. You crack a joke that nobody apparently notices... Except for someone else in the group, who picks up on it, and says the same joke with a higher volume. Everyone laughs, while you're left there with an ugly thought to encounter: this guy probably did not have the same freaking brain capacity to think what you thought, and he's hogging all the glory for your efforts.
I told my dad this same thought right after he expressed his frustration over the fact that things were not as he thought, especially as he was getting closer and closer to the top of the food chain in his long, hard career. He didn't necessarily mention anything about leeches, but he did mention something I thought was close to my point of other people we think are undeserving getting what they want more than we do.
Fast forward to two or three hours later, as I talk with another person close to my heart. She mentioned that she has been having trouble related to the same subject I've been pondering on: This time, it's more of people who step on other people who they know are deserving. Conflicts with teachers and students with a more broad vocabulary are mentioned here.
Seeing as these are events that I'd like to think are related to each other, I've decided to blog about it, relating it to what I've written previously. I used to agonize and lash out in have whenever someone leeched on me. Then, over time, I've been directed to learn truths that tell me I shoulda known better.
God has total control over everything, except how we react to something.
God lets everything happen for the good of those who love Him.
Take these together, and you can say: You can be sure that everything that happens to you would eventually be for good - 'good' meaning beneficial in all aspects and points of view, but ultimately for the greater glory of God - if we take control of how we react in a sense that we love God - not ourselves, not anyone else, but God.
This, I would like to think, is a more in-depth demonstration of how we can go ahead and act on what we've talked about in my last post. For one, I find myself having a hard time dealing with these sorts of situations gracefully.
I used to think so bitterly about people who leech me. This bitterness was shot down by the fact that I was not really innocent of this crime myself.
I also used to think that I assure myself that this is a good thing simply by seeing it as a challenge to think of something even better to say (or, for clarity, a better joke to tell). This seemingly lucrative idea was shot down by my observation that the thing I thought was better turned out to be half-baked and plain stupid. Also, this sort of thinking implies that I was still thinking about myself and the attention that my pride demanded I should have.
Ah, yes. Pride. It somehow shows its ugly face into the table yet again. Sinful pride is demonstrated each time we think we're better than anyone else. Sinful pride is demonstrated each time we go against God by sinning, when we ultimately think we're better than God, or when we ultimately think that we could get away with what we do, even if we know that God knows and sees all. I have, and still am, a man with pride.
Alas, I am no better than any of you. God loves you as much as He loves me. Spread the love. Be nice to someone. Try praying for someone when he or she leeches you. The hatred you choose to feel when this happens for the sake of getting what you think is fair is never a greater help than praying for this person instead.
God bless you. Continue to enjoy the rest of your day.
That took 50 minutes, by the way. An article this long over something I'm rarely interested in would have taken a whole lot more time. Praise God. I gotta continue to practice.
Later.