Compared To What?

You ask me “How’s my day?” Compared to what? Do you ever think another question before you ever give an answer? Inspiration for this blog came from a quote from Barney Frank made on an early morning TV show. I was sitting just getting awake with my first cup of “Bob’s high-powered” cappuccino along with my usual channel flipping, when MY Friend said; stop! There it is! And, I knew that I would spend the rest of my morning pulling those words from inside my pen to my paper.
I’ve learned that sometimes a quick reply to a friendly greeting can rise the heckles of the questioner. But, an unspoken question in my mind could give me time to give a more pleasant answer.
That; “compared to what”, mental question could be applied to many more things than greetings. With the changing of only that last word we could change the way we look upon our lives! We could change that word to; who, others, them, when, or where!
If you would ask me “how are you?”, I could give you my new answer “compared to what?” My answer would probably by “I’m great!” Why? Because more than nine out of ten people my age are long gone and I’m still breathing! Compared to those others, doesn’t that alone make me great? When we really start comparing things, it really changes nothing, but doesn’t it really change everything? Don’t we live our lives by continually comparing our lives to others?
Who are you comparing YOU to? You don’t have to look far to realize that you have it better than most of the rest of the world! It’s only human to want more. But, who are you comparing that more to? Unbelievable amounts of money is being spent each day trying to teach us to never be satisfied with what we have, we’re continually being told that we must always want more. I believe, that maybe, it’s time to stop and count the blessing we already have! Time to think, and maybe give thanks, for all those things we already have. Maybe even time to compare us to US!
In my many years of talking to people, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard them say; I just can’t seem to---, I never could, I don’t know why I can’t do ---, or even, tell me why I can’t be like them! Of course you can’t, you were created differently, so why try to compare yourself to them! I’m sure you can do things they can’t! Wouldn’t it have been just as easy to say things like; I’ve always had a talent for ---, it’s always been easy for me to ---, or when I look around I find many that are far worse off than I am. I think it would be wise for everyone to take a lesson from that friendly used-car salesman. How long would he stay in business comparing his cars to someone else’s junkers?
Throughout my life I’ve had others tell they are doing something because everyone else is doing it! I’m sorry but that everyone else thing never fit my lifestyle! I’ve always felt that if the world wanted to be out of step with me, so be it. If they want to set their standards lower than mine, it’s up to them. I’ll respect their world but I don’t have to live in it. I want to be able to compare me to me, not to everyone else!
Most of us set goals or standards for ourselves. Probably first we look around to find someone, hopefully someone we look up to, to compare ourselves to. Sadly those goals are rarely reached by comparing with others. Set them according to you, compare those goals to you, as you improve you immediately see a better you.
In the length of time it took me to finish that last half cup of cappuccino this morning, I learned a few things that I believe will change the rest of my life! Now when you ask me a question, and I pause for a second, and then you see a smile come on my face before my answer you must remember that I probably ask myself “compared to what?”