Ideal vs Reality

Wow, writing sure feels good.

It's time to finally record some thoughts as a form of note to self. A breather, indeed, and a privilege to capture those fleeting sentences that have been messing up my mind. There's much to write, and more so to ponder but I can only write plainly - yet with these same words, many, too, will begin to struggle as they start digging up their inner most values and place them on the operating theater.

I date this conversation some 2 yrs back as I conversed with someone whom I held in rather high esteem simply because I respect the boldness and courage displayed in wide array albeit many (still) do not take similar pleasure like I did. As I recall vividly, the statement went something like this: "Would you have the guts to dig deep into the values you hold dear to,dissect them and then put them back again?"

With all due honesty, it took me a while before I fully understood the weight of that short sentence. One day, I was faced with a situation that arrested me red handed. I asked if the values I once held so dear to, still exist. The answer came sooner than I could ever imagine. Those were never my values to begin with although they were good values to anchor upon. As such, my living became different. It was then I realised that right believing would lead to right living. I struggled to think that my values were not firmly anchored upon the Word. That kind of feeling, sucks.

My values, like some sort of value meal or package, play a key role. They govern. They set boundaries. They make me who I am.

Through another conversation, someone mentioned that our ideals don't match reality because we are greedy people. That was, indeed, a sweeping statement which was later on largely corrected. There was no conclusion. It was taken too far.

I find no reason to indulge in such an intellectual discussion because I will lose myself in all that thinking.

However, if we jump straight to the bottom line, there is but one pertinent question we need to ask ourselves - If our ideals do not match reality, how much are we willing to re-look into that ideal and adjust it?

Just like our values, when challenged, do we have the courage to dissect, re-look and piece them back together once more? Or do we simply stay closed and remain 'stubborn'?

FTT - food for thought