We are coming up to the season of exams. Up and down the land, students will be revising facts and dates. So much depends on what they remember on the day. Their whole future could depend on it - which subjects they can then take at A level or which university they can get into. No pressure then!!
A university education is now considered the norm, a 'must' and yet there are some great people and some very successful business people who never went to university. There are also some very important jobs that don't need a great education. Where would we be without refuse collectors, people working in the service industry, postmen/women - and we could go on. Graduates wouldn't think of taking a job in some of these situations. They want top jobs with big salaries, flashy cars and big houses. It reminds me of what my late husband used to say, 'Too many chiefs and not enough indians.' Someone needs to be in factories making those cars and on sites building the houses. Someone needs to deliver the goods from warehouse to shop and someone needs to serve in the shop. Don't misunderstand me I'm not advocating that learning and seeking to have a better income is wrong but I think sometimes we measure a person's success or failure in life by their job, car, house and so on.
Most parents will agree with me when I say that our children are different one from the other. My two sons are like chalk and cheese when it comes to academic issues. One will always be able to earn far more than the other one because of academic achievement. But this doesn't truthfully reflect the effort put into their school years. In fact, I think that the less qualified possibly tried a bit harder - he needed to in order to survive. So as a mother, I do feel that sometimes life seems very unfair. Why should one be thought of as successful and the other not? As people they are both loving and caring but because of the way their brains are wired, they are who they are.
How often are we introduced to someone new, names are exchanged and then we are asked, 'And what do you do?' It may be just conversation but then subconscious judgments are made depending on the answer. I sometimes feel, 'Who cares? I am me!' Do they want to know about my job or about me and I don't think you can tell what a person is really like just by knowing their income or material wealth.
Is our purpose in life to get more things, a bigger bank balance or be just who we are and the best that we can be? It's not about X amount of income we have but rather our attitude to that material gain. God sees us just as we are and loves us just as He has made us, all different and unique. Failure to accept this truth is life's real failure.
7 comments:
What a difficult subject you have just analysed. This is the society we live in, the values we have, the way we lable people. And it is so irrelevant, really, because you cannot tell, what a person is really like, just by knowing what someone does for a living. I have a relative, who is a teacher, but gave up his job to become a post-man. He was brilliant and he stil is. Was he more intelligent when he was a teacher? Was he more capable? Was he a better person? Certainly not. He is the same person. On the other hand, we should consider that, to posses a less academic brain, is not the only reason why some people do not achieve "success". Therefore, for them, it is true that not going to university is a sign of lacking interest and the will and desire to work hard. A very complex subject dear Mavis, a very complex subject indeed. Oh, by the way, I am Tommy.
Sorry, I believe "Still" takes "two Ls" . I will never learn your language, ha ha.
Thanks Tommy for your comment. You are of course right that there are those who could do better and don't bother and also those like your relative who choose for whatever reason to be different. And, yes, this is a more complicated subject than there is space for here. I just feel that sometimes we hype up things that in the big scheme of things are not always that important and that the means to material wealth takes pre-eminence.
Strangely, after I had written this I heard that yesterday the Archbishop of Canterbury in his Easter message was urging people to seek happiness above prosperity and not let the obsession with material well being take over our lives.
By the way your English is excellent, always has been and to me you're always Tommy
Brilliant Mavis. Went to a CofE church yesterday and one of the prayers was that we as parents remember that its out young people's relationship with Jesus that is most important.
Also as an Access student I still struggle with those who have come to further education later in life and yet are now seeing it as the all in all. I am totally blessed to be able to do Access but as i keep telling Tabi to do her best but to remember she can always come back when she's older.
Oh by the way Ian's got the job as team leader with the wind turbine company and starts on 19th July when we get back from hols. Now he's got it he's pleased
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Thanks Diane. Glad Ian got the job. But enjoy the holidays first!
Spot on Mavis, from the folks who don't quite take the normal route to do anything, and who cares :oD, we are loving what we are doing and feel in the right place at the right time. There are some in flashy jobs who we know envy us for what we are doing.
Well done to you and Ian for what you're doing. It's about being where God wants you to be and to be willing to do what He wants - even if that is moving a pile of stones - good Easter Sunday work. Think that was done before on an Easter Sunday!
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