Saturday, September 24, 2011

THE MEASURE OF SUCCESS

---- This was a question from a good friend in our usual lunch get-together with the rest of the gang..... 'what is the true measure of success?'

That's a good question, don't you think? The answers vary and it will depend on that person's sense of priorities in life..... on what he deems far more essential to make one's mark in the world. So when I heard that question I waited to hear what others would say bout it. It can be so revealing.

A nice house and car or houses and cars, a high position, dozens of titles attached to their name, substantial bank account, expensive clothes, the best of schools for their children, a successful profession and career, travels several times a year, luxury perks, and moving in high social circles.

All well and good. It's all been worked hard for. Those were and are dreams fulfilled. Blessings from a good God.

Just like everybody else I have my own dreams... some have materialized, some are still in the work process. But as the years go by and after looking in serious retrospect at my world and everything in it, I saw something else which shook up my thinking cells big time and made it rearrange themselves - reorganize - regroup - reset.

This is a material world. I understand that; we all do. That's the world we have been born and grew up in and live with. And around us are many of material people living in the same material world. How is anyone ever going to escape that?

We can't. It's the only world we've got. But instead of trying to escape this consuming materialism which engulfs every area of our lives.... we should live through it just as we would but also resolutely rise above it just as we should.

We are given far more than just the material. We can do far more than just the material too. Because the bottom line is that after all has been said and done --- we must and should measure up to the measure that God intends to use with us.
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" Always demanding the best of oneself,
living with honor,
devoting one's talents and gifts to the benefits of others -
these are the measures of success that endure
when material things have passed away. "
- Gerald R. Ford





14 comments:

  1. last lines sum it up so beautifully.

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  2. "But instead of trying to escape this consuming materialism which engulfs every area of our lives.... we should live through it just as we would but also resolutely rise above it just as we should."
    This sums up the the way one has to go with one's life.

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  3. I always wanted to travel around the world meet people see cultures...Is that material thought?

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  4. Hi Renu! Glad to see you. We share the same thoughts in those lines. Thank you for appreciating the piece. Hope you have a pleasant and blessed day. God bless you.

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  5. Hi KP! Great to see you. Thanks for taking time off from your blog to visit. You're always a welcome sight here. :-) Have a blessed day.

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  6. Hi Abhishek! Traveling and meeting people near and far makes for wonderful experiences. It is what you take out from it in terms of good friendships and a wider knowledge of foreign places and culture which far outweighs whatever materialism encountered in such pursuits. It is a package of both good and bad as in all other things in life. What would define your experiences would be your focus and attention to things far more essential to the mind and heart.. and soul.

    It is so nice to see you again. Delighted that you dropped by. Blessings to you!

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  7. Hi Ellen,

    @How is anyone ever going to escape that?

    That's the good catch.. ppl often try to reason it out, but this is whr we live and that's where we need to prove too..

    Best wishes to ur family
    Prams

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  8. Great to see you today, Prams! :-)

    Oh this is good --- "but this is whr we live and that's where we need to prove too.."

    Thanks for dropping by. The pleasure is all mine. Blessings to you and your day.

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  9. Very nicely put, Ellen! We have an eternal kingdom to look forward to, and we should be more concerned with building there than here...

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  10. Yup, Deb, eternal kingdom -- that is the goal. Blessings to you and your family. And glad you were able to retrieve your Milk Duds. :-)

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  11. I was stuck by here. I don’t know how to measure my success. I am still young to measure it, what I know is I am blessed. Though I am poor, God is rich. I have nothing to prove here on earth, the important is I have a peaceful life after all. Thank you so much Ma’m Ellen, for another inspiring thought.

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  12. The quote says it well ....

    " Always demanding the best of oneself, living with honor, devoting one's talents and gifts to the benefits of others - these are the measures of success that endure when material things have passed away. " --- Gerald R. Ford

    And this has got nothing to do with age. It's more about the strength and power of the mind and the right attitude of the heart.

    Bless you, Star-chuu. Be blessed and stay blessed.

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  13. Ellen,

    In this materialistic world it is possession of such assets which makes us think about measure of success. In my thinking true measure of success is how much peace is a person at with his or her life.

    Take care

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  14. I very well agree to this, Jack>>> "In my thinking true measure of success is how much peace is a person at with his or her life." -- Understandably peace becomes elusive to the person who makes it his only quest, firstly and lastly, to pursue material happiness.

    Blessings to you, Jack.

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