For a while now I've been slowly changing a lot of things in my life and really learning a lot about myself. . .what I enjoy, what I value, what I want to do when I grow up, who really cares about me, who I really care about, the list goes on. Slowly but surely I've started this whole revolution without even realizing it. I've decided to call it my total life makeover (sounds catchy right?). I think it really started with my health and my celiac diagnosis which has since lead to various other health issues but along the way it's become so much more than just trying to not be sick all the time. I'm really transitioning to a very natural and more simple life, from food to the items I purchase to the things I choose to do each day. I'm training for my first 25k race, I'm starting a new career, we are living off cash (no more Target splurges!) and paying off our debt, I'm learning to grow my own vegetables and eat all natural, non processed foods, we're cleaning out the un-needed junk in our house and I'm spending my time and energy on the genuine relationships in my life. . . .and I do plan to return to church someday. Contrary to what my previous self thought, I don't need a new shirt to be happy, I don't need a fancy dinner to be full, and running is actually therapeutic (notice I did not say fun). Maybe I'm just growing up (which I doubt because I still love drinking until 2am and sleeping until noon) or maybe the events of my life are just starting make sense and I'm finally ready to not only accept certain things but to really appreciate them. So now that you've had a small peak into my soul (yes, I do in fact have a soul) here is a great article that helped to put everything in perspective for me. It's a little long but it really hit home with me and maybe it will with you too.. . . .
The Peanut Race
By Gloria Tibbs
In route from one city to another (I never can seem to remember the destination
with all the travel - I just remember that I was on a plane!), a gentleman (much to
my senior - I don't really want to call him "elderly"!) sat next to me and we struck
up a conversation (you know, the kind about the weather - not too much
substance). Then this man proceeded to teach me the most important lesson
(bar none!) that life has ever taught me!
As he took the cocktail napkin (from under his soda) and the pen from his shirt
pocket, he drew six shapes that all resembled a Peanut. He went on to say, "I
want to teach you something about life. It's kind of like a Peanut Race." I thought
"Peanut Race? Now, that's a new one!" He asked, "Have you ever played a
Peanut Race?" I quickly responded, "No, I can't say that I have!" (I was humored
by his "southern drawl" and he appeared to be really witty!) He continued, "Well,
when I was a little boy," I thought to myself that had to be a good 70 years or so
at least! "We didn't have a lot of money, so we had to come up with something
creative to entertain us. The Peanut Race was always my favorite! (I was thinking
by now, OK - but what's this got to do with life? Sounds like a kid's game!) He
explained, "The way you play this game is that you paint all of the peanuts
different colors and you give each kid six peanuts --one of each color. Then you
line the peanuts up in front of each kid and you tape down a strip of masking tape
(or draw a straight line of chalk if you're playing outside) about six feet away from
the peanuts. The kid that gets their peanuts across the line of tape (or chalk) first
wins! There's only one rule - you can only move the peanuts with your nose! You
can't pick them up, kick them or put them in your mouth! You have to roll them
with your nose."
By now I was getting intrigued, and I asked, "So, did you usually win?" He
laughed and said, "Not for a very long time. You see, I always came in last. It
took me years to figure out the trick." "What trick?" I asked. "Well," he continued,
"You see the kid that always came in last, me, tried to roll one peanut at a time
across the line. I'd take the yellow one first and roll it six feet from the starting
point - all the way across the line and then I'd come back and get the red one. I'd
roll it all the way across the line and then I'd come back and get the blue one, the
green one, and so on and so forth." I interrupted, "Well, that sounds like how you
should play the game." "Not really, Not when you really think about it. You see,
the kid that always came in first was really smart. He was really clever and time
and time again he'd finish the race long before anyone else!" "How?" I finally
asked.
"You see, he knew that the real secret of winning this race was to keep all the
peanuts as close together as possible and in focus. He'd push the yellow one
ahead about an inch, then he'd get the pink one and push it about an inch, then
the blue one, then the red one, back to the yellow, then the pink, then the blue
and so on. The other players would make six very long trips (back and forth) to
get their peanuts --you know, they'd take the red one all the way then go back go
fetch the blue one. But not this kid, he made only one trip keeping all his peanuts
right in front of him the whole time and never loosing site of any of them."
(Now I was really confused) "OK, it sounds like a fun game but I still don't see
how this game applies to life?" He just laughed, "Patience" he said and then
continued, "Have you ever noticed in life how people forget what's really
important? Like the mega-millionaire that killed himself the other day? Seems he
accomplished all his goals, he got all the money and fame he was striving for but
he lost his family, his friends, his morals and his health along the way?" "Yeah,
You hear about things like that all the time - You wonder why things like that
happen," I said. He continued, "Or, Don't you frequently hear people say how
miserable they are with their job, in their personal life, that their health is shot,
they should loose weight, quit smoking (or whatever) but they never seem to
have the time?" "Absolutely - I hear people complain all the time" I responded.
"What about the guy (or gal) who is unfaithful to their spouse (and their family)
because they're not satisfied with the life they are living and they feel that they
must "cheat" on their partner to feel "complete and satisfied?" he asked. "Well,
I've certainly witnessed that many times in my life", I confessed.
Then he "hit me right between the eyes" with a lesson I will never forget! "Well,
you see, life is kind of like a peanut race. If you let each color peanut represent a
different aspect of your life you'll see what I mean. For example, the red peanut
would represent a person's career. The green peanut would represent a person's
family. The blue peanut would represent a person's friendships. The yellow
peanut would represent a person's health. The pink peanut would represent a
person's morals, belief's and values, etc. You can really make the meaning
different to each peanut - whatever you want to label it as." "I'm beginning to get
the picture but I'm not quite with you yet", I responded.
"Well, the sad thing about life", he continued, "is that too many people don't really
understand how to play the game. They get their priorities out of focus and they
get totally confused about what's really important. You see, many people will play
the game just like the kids that always loose - they'll focus on one aspect of life
(you know, one peanut) at a time. For example, haven't you heard people say,
"I'll just throw myself into my career, I'm going to concentrate on my success and
nothing else." They think everything else will just "catch up" some day. They
overlook (or leave behind) their family, their friends, their health and perhaps
even their morals, values and beliefs. Then one day they wake up and wonder
why they gained success in the business world and lost everything else along the
way." "I see" I responded (and I was beginning to see…). "You see, Gloria other
people give all their energy and focus to the family or their friends and they never
seem to be able to have a successful career! They bring their problems to work
and they can never give their undivided attention to the job, all their attention is
focused on their personal life - it can work both ways!"
"Wow" - Was he speaking to me or what? Here I was sitting on a plane, going to
some city working my "tail off" to gain my fortune. Meanwhile, I was letting
someone else raise my daughter (a nanny), I'd been divorced (one and a half
times - but that's another story and the second one doesn't really count!). I was
making hefty six-figure income (some years close to half a million dollars) and I
was on the verge of bankruptcy! I hadn't been to church (even with the strong
Southern Baptist background that I had), I had complained time and time again to
my "co-workers" that my life was totally out of control and that I felt like I was in
the middle of a tornado just "hanging on for dear life"! I didn't know what had
happened! It had been years since I'd gone to a baseball game, a cookout or
even just a movie with friends. And my guilt was enormous that I was always
"somewhere else" but at home with my little ones when they needed me.
Something was definitely wrong with this picture!
After that plane flight, life was about to dish to me some real consequences that
only later would I be able to remember and put to use the winning "Peanut Race"
formula in my own life. Now, I'm a proud "trophy winner" of life. I've regained my
friendships, my health, I'm happily married and I have a fantastic career. I've
regained my spirituality and I'm refocused on my morals, values and beliefs. For
once, my life is finally under control. Each day is purposeful and exciting. I love
my life! Thank you, whoever and wherever you are for teaching me the valuable
lesson of "balance" in life! Thank you for teaching me about the Peanut Race!
