(ThyBlackMan.com) I’ve crossed paths with many within the last month or so discussing the topic of success. Now generally success, in this society, is acknowledged through that which is visible to the eye. That which is tangible. We view those who have attained their college degree, married, have a well paying job, purchased a nice size home and are able to move about in the world (via a nice car, of course), as a “success”.
These conversations have led me to wonder if success is something better seen or felt? Can our success in life truly be measured by what we have in our possession? And if possessions are the primary requirement, what makes success any different from greed? I know all too well of the American Dream, a dream that has nothing to do with inner awareness or peace within. It’s a dream that causes us to strive for and compete with our fellow man to hold a better position and attain the best of luxuries. We’ve become so engulfed in striving for luxuries such as high end cars, brand
name clothing and extravagant meals that we no longer strive to leave our mark on the world. We no longer strive to leave behind us something that reflects our ideals, beliefs or values.
Let’s face it! Success in this society has nothing to do with what one has accomplished yet everything to do with that which one has acquired. When was the last time you opened a history book and read about how great an individual was because of the car they drove, brand of clothing they wore or the type of community they lived in? When studying the great philosophers, artists and business owners of the past you find that they left behind them a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to inspire the hearts of those who were to come after them.
I often wonder what the history books of our generation will spark in the minds of those who will come behind us. Will success again shift back towards striving for inner greatness? The type of inner greatness that increases our desire to leave behind us a body of work, piece of art, or establishment that sparks the minds of future geniuses.
Or will we choose to leave behind us a trail of greed, self hatred and missed opportunities of greatness in order to possess as much as we possibly can? Yes, the children are the future, however we are the now shaping their minds as well as their destiny. We are shaping history with each breath we take. After your journey of life has ended, how do you desire to be remembered? By your possessions or by the inner gifts you possess.
Staff Writer; Dina Deon
Official website; http://www.DinaDeon.com
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