Why do I save? The list goes on, and against your list I am sure we could have a thousand and one matches. But I am not talking about those kinds of savings; the ones that make us think of piggy banks, ATMs, and dollar signs.
I watched my cousin as she scribbled part lies part truths on her New Year’s Resolutions list. Somewhere tucked between the lies, she had “Carpe diem” faintly written, as if she was ready to argue that it was never there if someone ever called her on it.
“Are you still thinking about this one? ” I teased.
She laughed. “Don’t you think it is rather ironic that it lies on a list of future plans?”
“Well…”
“Man!” she interrupted. “I am tired of thinking, I am tired of planning, and I am tired of holding back”
There, within her rant, birth in my thoughts, the “to be or not to be” of saving the best for last. Even though I badly wanted to take a cheap shot at her frustrations with “thinking,” My thoughts were so occupied with her last point, that the goof in me remained incarcerated.
No one knows how to stash secret weapons under a pillow like I do. I’ve never seen anything wrong with that. What is wrong with saving the best for last? Probably nothing other than the fact that most of us are waiting for that non-existent right moment. That moment that is preceded with a zillion and one “not yets.” So, what do we do? We tease with mediocrity, over and over again, until our secret weapon is as good as bad and all we are left to name ourselves after is the run-of-the-mill title we very well called our own.
“Why do I save?”
“Yes, why do you save?” I reiterated
“I don’t know! What if people don’t like what I have to offer? What if I am not good enough? What if I’m not ready?”
“You are scared of failure?” I questioned.
“There are days I give it my all, I work hard, I…” she paused, “I don’t hold back! and I don’t even get a second look! I have to be content with my ‘it’s okay’s “
I learned that it is the only way you get better. If your hands are already full from saving your best, there’s no way you can start working on the next best thing. There’s an audience out there waiting for you, but you first have to show up. Show you! And all of you! You cannot stress about perfection, but you can certainly leave room for it. That is the room you go to after your work has been criticized. The room you go to fix your mistakes and refine your best. Be excited to exhaust all your capabilities and skills knowing very well that the only way it will finally & actually be exhausted is when you are dead and gone. Remember the brevity of human life and do everything like it is your last. Give your all! Tell that person that you love them already! Start working on that business plan today. Make the calls! Knock the doors. Do not settle with failure; instead, get your critics back by making improvements. Iron out those kinks. Tighten those screws.
Carpe Diem!
Love, Armenyl
I hope this message inspires you to live out your dreams! I have to remind myself sometimes: God isn’t finished with you yet. Tell yourself, “As long as I am alive, I am going to keep growing” I mean think about it, you kinda don’t have a choice there… 😉
Spread the word! <3