I remember reading the book "Rich Dad Poor Dad" back in 2007. The author went into great detail in describing what he refers to as "The Rat Race". Defined as (paraphrasing) consuming your life with so much work that you in essence miss the "forest of life, for the trees".
Often times I blog to unload the issues that I often times have with others. Whether it be co-workers, friends, acquaintances, significant others, etc.... However, tonight, I'd like to do a periodical "self analysis."
Honestly, I sometimes (often times) feel that I'm caught up in a real life rat race. It doesn't help that I work in Corporate America amongst the bureaucracies and political jargon that causes many people to stray away from this scene. But I do. As many of you know I have an office, on the 16th floor of a nice office building, somewhere in the Mid Atlantic. But what you may or may not know is my age or my ethnicity or how they both play such a huge role in me having to consistently work to outdo the "mainstream". You see I don't get to go home at 5pm "everyday". I wish I could, but I can't, because in the midst of this "rat race", I find myself running laps around a track that doesn't seem to have a finish line.
Side note: Perhaps it does have a finish line, but sometimes it's rather difficult to recognize.
In any event, I battle. Not so much with the onslaught of my surroundings, but often times with the "me inside of me" (as Malachi said - Apache Cafe 2004). On one hand I'm a staunch believer in having sound morals. I believe the little guy can win, and should often times in order to keep life's balance. I believe that black people should ban together and realize that the "whole is greater than the sum of its parts". On that same side I'm a believer that good always beats evil, and that living life to its fullness is a necessity of happiness.
Then there is the other side of me. The side that says, "KJ, keep your head to the grind and pay no attention to your surroundings, they will only distract you.".
side note: And there in lies my issue.
The side of me that says to keep my head down and keep running totally negates the side of me that believes in helping others and realizing that me keeping my head down is a total 180 from the ideology of the forest and the trees (or missing one for the other).
I guess what doesn't make it any easier, is the simple fact that there isn't anyone that I can openly talk to, that can in essence relate. Arrrrghhhh it's frustrating sometimes.
Side note: My thoughts are jumbled...I know.
Ok, I should stop now, my thoughts are moving to and fro and I can't keep up with them......plus I've abandoned my workout tonight in lieu of going to Walmart to pickup a few things. Hopefully I can get up in the morning in time to make this one up.
Talk to you soon,
KJ
2 comments:
I feel you. Take it easy and breathe. It doesn't have to be a race all the time. Hope you feel better soon!
I've always found it interesting how we can be surrounded by the billions of people in this world and still feel that no one can really understand what we are going through. Because honestly, even if people can relate, no two people have the same life experience. We all can only experience life through our own eyes. However take relief in knowing that most of us feel like this at some point in our lives. And though no one may be able to understand...we can empathize...and we're here to help in whatever way we can.
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