Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Things That Matter

I don't know if my head is more likely to spin or explode, but something bad is fixin' to happen. 

One morning this week I watched The Today Show as Matt Lauer tried to seamlessly transition from one major crisis to another. He went from emotionally covering the mass destruction in Nepal to very matter-of-factly reviewing the suspensions Tom Brady would suffer (I use that term so, so loosely) as a result of Deflate Gate. 


I stood in front of our TV in awe, a toothbrush in my mouth and a question in my head: How do those two stories even deserve the same airtime in a primetime spot? 


They don't. 


Something as trivial as the amount of air in a ball used in a glorified American sport (and I love football as much as the next person - Go Steelers) has no place following a story regarding a natural disaster that has buried alive more than 8,000 people. 


Do you get it? When you step back and really appraise life's spirit, some things matter and some things simply don't. 


What are the things that matter? 

Well, I can only start this morning with a brief list:

Things that matter:
Believing in something bigger than yourself. 

Things that don't: 
A false sense that you have to get through it alone. 

Things that matter:
Engaging in conversation and sharing a meal with others. 

Things that don't: 
Believing that your cell phone is more interesting than the people physically around you. 

Things that matter:
Fresh air in your lungs, compliments of the great outdoors. 

Things that don't: 
Airing out your problems to solicit attention.


The best current commercial:

Things that matter:
Living within your means. 

Things that don't: 
Living with a strange, sad hunger to impress others with material things. 

Things that matter:
Our forgotten soldiers - on foreign lands and home - who have undergone immeasurable emotional, physical and mental damage and immediate, irreversible changes.  

Things that don't: 
Bruce Jenner.

Marine Staff Sgt. John Jones 
from the "Injured Soldiers" collection 
by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders.

Things that matter:
Deadlines, as they hold you accountable, on time and productive. 

Things that don't: 
Timelines. Worry not about how you envisioned the last ten years going or the next ten years unfolding. The plan and timeline you're referencing are simply not your own. 

Things that matter:
Expiration dates on drugs. 

Things that don't:
Expiration dates on salad dressing. 

Things that matter:
How you use past experiences to emulate an example of treating others well and with kindness. 

Things that don't: 
How poorly someone has treated you in the past. 

Things that matter:
Realizing and remembering that some of your best memories will come from slow, ordinary days.  

Things that don't: 
The false sense that if you don't hurry, you'll get left behind. 

Things that matter:
The orange low fuel warning light. 

Things that don't:
The "It won't happen to me" mentality.

Things that matter:
Giving your best self every single day.

Things that don't:
Worrying about living up to someone else's standards.

Things that matter:
Education, it’s invaluable. 

Things that don’t:
Not trying, wanting, or risking learning something new each day.

Things that matter:
People and relationships.


Things that don’t:
Things. 


There are so many more, but this week my evenings and mornings are consumed with the exciting task of watching heat. My Stockman's Wife duties generally trump the time I set aside for creative writing. 

What are the things that matter - or the things that don't - from your perspective? This can be a working document, and I'd be happy to add your thoughts if you'll comment.


1 comment:

  1. Things that matter:
    Giving your best self every single day

    Things that don't:
    Worrying about living up to someone else's standards

    ReplyDelete