Stepping Back

It may be that I am sometimes guilty of taking myself and/or others too seriously.

Ok, seriously.

I find myself dangerously near some level of "academic stuffiness" lately, in some of my writing and even speaking. It has been necessary for me to re-word and rearrange emails, other notes to people, and posts online so that I sound like a normal person.

I think this could be a problem.:P

This is NOT to say that the kinds of things I'm thinking and writing and wanting to think and write are not still important to me. On the contrary, I feel like I'm making progress in ways that I never have before in learning how to piece together the things I'm learning to take a stand or make a contribution.

But, when all is said and done (or thought and written, as the case may be), I am still me.

And "me," believe it or not, is really a pretty simple person.

When I was in high school, I read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey. In this book, Covey recommends creating a personal mission statement (and I've heard Steven Covey, Sean's dad, recommend the expansion of this to a family mission statement for married folks). I wish I had attached a date to the mission statement that I drafted then ... all I know is that I was somewhere between the ages of 14 and 16 when I decided on the following ...

I will:

read the books

do the math

take the classes

write the papers

pass the tests

make the money

draw the plans

live the laws

meet the people

required of me so that I can get to where I'm going and pursue my dreams the way I choose.

During my life, I will take time for anything and everything I feel is important, including observing and enjoying nature, caring for and loving my family, being faithful and obedient to God, pursuing my interests, hobbies, and personal goals, and being a friend and a helper to those in need.

I will never give up my dreams or compromise my standards for any reason whatsoever, and I will never settle for less than truth, honor, and integrity.

I have actually surprised myself with the number of times I have referred back to my "mission statement" since I wrote it ... it has helped me stay focused on some key things about my life and my goals. I've been wondering lately whether it might be time to revise or enlarge it somewhat. At the time, a lot of those tasks I listed were things I perceived as necessary evils, assignments to be endured and completed only so that I could then do just what I wanted to do. Now, I'm learning that many of those things are a part of my life's work that I want to embrace, rather than merely enduring.

I started a "life list" once, which I've long since lost - which I've been thinking it would be fun to recreate. In essentials, my aspirations are much the same as they ever were - I want to be of service to God and know Him personally, and I am really looking forward to being a wife and mother. (See? Simple - 3 things :) Over the years, I think these basic dreams have grown to include becoming the most genuine, real person I can be, and contributing in some significant way to the moral fiber of the community around me. I've also started to recognize the reality of some of the gifts God has given me ... and I want to use them!

What's on your list? Who do you dream of being? Who have you been that has caused you to want to be that person? What are you going to go after, and how are you going to go after it?