Life’s guidelines

Kelly made a comment about a month ago on an entry I wrote about being pessimistic:.

“Its like the sand box theory. If you saw two sand boxes and both had kids in them. Would you go to the sand box where the kid is having fun or the sand box where the kid is just sitting there? Its like life.”

It has really stuck with me and I have been making an effort whenever I remember. This ranks right up there with a couple of my other favorite theories in life I have always remembered.

My Dad: If it can be replaced with money, then it’s not worth being upset about.

This means if the problem could be solved by spending money, then who cares? Just worry about the stuff that can’t be replaced by money (friends, relationships, respect, missing limbs, etc.).

My Mom: Life is full of people who want you to jump through hoops.

Sometimes you have to do things that aren’t logical just to get ahead in life. She explained with an analogy. You are a tiger in a circus. The guy with the whip wants you to jump though a ring of fire. Why do it? You do it because you want food and you don’t want to get whipped. To the tiger there is no reason to jump through the hoop, other than for the reward. Life is like this sometimes. You have to do stupid things that don’t make sense, so you can get what you want. Play the game.

There is one more that I am a little embarrassed about. I was watching Bob Dole on a PSA to get prostate exams. At the end he says, “Everything worthwhile takes courage”. Now I am not a fan of Bob Dole, but it was a great saying. I have used that advise countless times. Anytime I was hesitant to do something I have remembered this saying.

I try and remember each of these sayings as I go through life.