July 11, 2008

Things to come.

Friday evening. I am enveloped by the sound of falling rain and the percussion of lingering thunderclaps. The wall in front of me momentarily brightens and I know that another wave will soon follow.
I savor moments like this. The world around me is raging, thrashing yet I am unperturbed, untroubled, untrammeled.

The weekend, like the hero in a B movie, has arrived in the nick of time. The flavor of classes and students is much more palatable on Saturdays and a bike ride/picnic on Sunday is just what the Head shrink ordered. A week spent trying to prepare students for upcoming exams has taken it's toll and I have to do something for myself.

How important is it for you to treat yourself to something special every once in a while?

I am not an altruist , so it has become quite quintessential for me to reward myself when others forget to. I find it to be an excellent motivator and a fabulous way to maintain my sanity in a world that seems to be constantly threatening to abscond with it.

We sometimes tell ourselves that we are not defined by our work. If that is true, then why do we spend the better part of the day at it?
I don't mind being judged by what I do. It is one {of many} of the ways I look at my self to see if the marks I am leaving are those of a sculptor or of a vandal.

Creating a legacy, through the transfer of knowledge, love or lucre is naught but a search for immortality. I live and work in hope that the lives and people I encounter, both here and in the visceral world, have not only enjoyed my company for a long time or short, but more importantly that we have shared and by doing so have helped each other along the rough and stumble prone path called life.

How's that for a Hallmark moment?

11 comments:

lime said...

maybe not a hallmark moment but a thought-provoking one (which hallmark ones seldom are)

i used to not treat myself but increasingly i am finding i must to maintain some sanity.

Grant said...

Tonight I treated myself to dinner at Pappasito's (I had the Del Rio) since I survived yet another week of antibiotic treatments, hospital billing, and more reasons to visit doctors to get more treatments and bills. I don't define myself by my work because I called in sick twice this week, so I'm hardly working at all. If we automatically define ourself by what we do most, then I'm mister poop-n-sleep guy. I'm having my superhero costumed designed now.

Mona said...

what a wonderfully thought provoked thought provoking post!

This is like self Introspection which is a goos mind and soul food!

I love the line:"I don't mind being judged by what I do. It is one {of many} of the ways I look at my self to see if the marks I am leaving are those of a sculptor or of a vandal."

Sharing is the real caring. You love humanity!

Misplaced, I treated myself too after a long spell of trying a year; with three gorgeous hand spun
pure silk sarees, two formal dresses and a pearl set! :D

It did feel good while it did...

Enemy of the Republic said...

I see nothing wrong with pampering yourself occasionally when you are in the helping professions. You give a lot as a teacher. So you need to recharge.

Serena said...

Ohhh, I love a good storm. A stormy night is practically Nirvana to me. About pampering oneself, I think that one should treat oneself to something special at every opportunity.:)

Carla said...

Yep, I used to forget about treating myself, too busy taking care of everyone else. But at some juncture, realized that if I don't do it, probably nobody else will. It's the small things in life which make it all worth while.

Megan said...

Awww.

moi said...

I'm always puzzled by people who proudly announce they don't define themselves by their work. Huh. I mean, I can't think of how ELSE would you define yourself.

As for treating myself. Hmmm. On a superficial level, if you mean by indulging in a few things here and there as a reward for hard work or to alleviate hard times, yes, I do that. But on a deeper level, I believe the goal of my life is to be happy, so in a sense I'm always trying to treat myself.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes I feel like I don't even have a self, I'm mostly here to do for others around me...

OK, enough for "Sunday Secrets" lol..

I hope your day is rocking!

whimsical brainpan said...

I think it is important to treat yourself every now and then. Kindness towards oneself is almost as important as kindness towards others.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for writing this.