Another scorcher in the valley, but it appears to be partly sunny and only 100 degrees. I am sitting here relaxing a little bit on a Saturday afternoon and contemplating what might be next. It is kind of funny that even when I am resting, I can’t relax my mind enough to stop thinking. Maybe that’s a good thing as some of my best thoughts have come when I have been in chill mode.
It should be no surprise that I have been thinking a little hard about some things after some conversations with friends and family the last couple of days. I guess I should give a little more background on the foundation of the conversations that have me thinking a little deeper right now.
1. A high school in Alabama spent over $1 million dollars on their football program over the last 3 years.
2. A female friend of mine said a couple of things that stood out to me this week, “I’ve decided some guys are just thoughtful and sweet and want to treat the woman in their life like a lady and some are not! It’s like they either have it or don’t and it doesn’t seem teachable” and “I love when older men tip their hat at you when you walk by them. Such a simple and nice gesture. I wish people were still like that”
I felt it was important to see how simple the commentary was that lead me down a path of enlightenment. Just looking at these two examples, you probably wouldn’t be able to connect the two things that spurred my additional thoughts. Even though the two things don’t seem related they are very connected as they both will make you start thinking more about values.
No secret that we all have different values about a wide range of things, but it is also interesting how we allow society to define our values for us. I bring this up as I look at the fact that a high school athletic program will spend $1 million dollars on an athletic program while teachers are still quite underpaid. Now, these same teachers are responsible for encouraging, teaching, and molding our future leaders. What does this say about the value of education? Yet another example that society is telling us what we are willing to place a premium on, and we buy into it by filling up the stands and watching the games.
In the 2nd example, I get to revisit something that never ceases to be a topic of conversation lately. In terms of relationships with men and women, it is very clear to see that there are people out here that have different value systems. Both men and women have to make choices about their values and whether or not they are willing to compromise in anyway. If you value you respect, it doesn’t make sense to be around people that don’t show you respect. When we make decisions and compromise our values, we aren’t being honest with ourselves about who we are and what we want.
What values are important to you? What do you value? Are values different based on gender? Are values different in regions of the country? What does society value? Have you ever compromised your values? Have you ever had to restore your values?
At the end of the day, our values have shaped us to be who we are as well as fostered traditions in our families and communities. A core of strong values will take you far in life and we have to do a better job of teaching others through an example not just through words. There’s someone watching you right now and drawn to you because your values are similar or they admire your walk in life.
As you enjoy the rest of our weekend, I challenge you to take the positive you have in you and share with the rest of the world. Live life and be amazing!
“Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.”
-M. Scott Peck
“Only the man who crosses the river at night knows the value of the light of day”
-Chinese Proverb
“The value of compassion cannot be over-emphasized. Anyone can criticize. It takes a true believer to be compassionate. No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands.”
-Arthur Stainback
“Values provide perspective in the best of times and the worst”
-Charles Garfield
“We do not know the true value of our moments until they have undergone the test of memory.”
-Georges Duhamel
“Our society's values are being corrupted by advertising's insistence on the equation: Youth equals popularity, popularity equals success, success equals happiness.”
-John Arbuthnot Fisher
“Look inside yourself and you'll find a world of things (a world of your own experiences) worth writing about.”
-Bette Greene
“Your true value depends entirely on what you are compared with.”
-Bob Wells
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