She adores him. Very much.
I can tell by the way she talked. She was so fond of that guy.
I do not remember much of the flowery words she used in describing him but the only impression I got was, he was a confused man. Too many religion of which he preached about all at the same time.
Later on, she took her classic grey iPod out of her big bag that looked like a sack for me; always stuffed with her many things. And oh, not to forget about her computer speakers!
She then played one of her many audio collection of Watts. She said, she wanted to stir up inside us a realization. She wanted us to pursue the thing we really wanted.
The video I posted above is the same thing we listened to before.
Did it hit us? Yes, of course.
And she asked us to "get a one whole sheet of paper and make a reflection paper".
Oh my days! That phrase was so famous back then.
So why am I saying all these? Because last night, as I was scanning through the news feed of my facebook account, I saw one friend of mine liked a video (the one I posted above). And I thought of sharing out my thoughts about it.
I am able to preserve a copy of what have I written before on that paper. I'd like to summarize everything that is there in a paraphrased way because my grammar then was some kind of messy. SMH.
Here are some high school views of mine:
#1 It is very important to choose a college course that I like so while I'm still schooling, studying wouldn't be that hard as it is in high school. Everything that my professor tells me is somewhat a food to devour rather than a food I am forced to eat.
#2 I do not understand the people whom Alan has talked to. If they wanted to be a painter, a writer, a poet, ride a horse (wait what? Like, all your life?) or whatever, go ahead. Why punish yourself? It is as if though, there's a tofu and a taco in front of you. You are free to choose whatever you want but you reach for a tofu because it is the way of the world although you're desperately dying to eat taco.
#3 I am blessed with a family who will support me with whatever I pursue. And also in the future when whatever career I have chosen doesn't make a lot of money, they'll still give me some. And by some, I meant many.
Well, kid! The last one's not a good reflection. Really.
But in the present time, if ever I get asked about my opinion, not much will change. But at least, something changed! Specially the naive one!
Watts left a lot of questions in his statement but I would like to highlight the two most important out of it all.
First is: "What would you like to do if money were no object?"
Well as for me, I'd run free in the world and do anything under the sky and even beyond!
When I was younger, my mom recorded a conversation of ours and asked me if what would I like to become. I said I wanna be a teacher because I adore 'Teacher Racquel' so much back in first grade. Second is I wanted to become a doctor because I said I wanted to help sick people but really, I just find it amusing whenever I see them in white and at their hands, I always feel safe. Most of all, I wanted to become an astronaut. Don't ask! It's a long story and I still want to become one.
I'm not going to be a hypocrite. Things change ... you grow up and you become "concern with the matters of consequence". I sometimes think of my future ... of the money! But at a very young age, I felt lost in the middle of this madness. I hate how it feels like to be doing the things you don't want to. So then, I thought about leaving nursing school and I found myself looking at the future, coming back at a medicine related course. To avoid adding so much damage in the midst of this turmoil, I instead taught myself how to love this stuff and I still am learning.
I'm not closing my doors anyway of being an educator in college perhaps but right now, that is not how I envision myself. I am actually currently hoping of becoming a surgeon. A good one. But I really, really, really still want to become an astronaut! As a matter of fact, if NASA offers me a job outside the Earth, I'd take it with no hesitation. I'll abandon everything just to get there. My ultimate dream job! Ha! AND I'M NOT KIDDING.(Somebody tell NASA please!)
Well as for you, what would you like to do if money were no object?
"And after all, if you do really like what you’re doing, it doesn’t matter what it is, you can eventually turn it – you could eventually become a master of it. It’s the only way to become a master of something, to be really with it. And then you’ll be able to get a good fee for whatever it is. So don’t worry too much."
I'd like to commend you mister for that very momentous statement and I must by all means agree. But in reality, it's easier said than done, eh? At least for some.
I believe God has given people a so called free will (Galatians 5:13). Whatever you wanted to do or wanted to become is something He personally placed in the heart of each and every one. To use it properly. To enjoy it. Unless otherwise, all you ever dreamed of is to get stoned and high all your life.
"crowds of students say well, we’d like to be painters, we’d like to be poets, we’d like to be writers"
Then if so, why can't everybody be someone they really wanted to be?
because...
"but as everybody knows you can’t earn any money that way."
Watts told it clearly on an earthly perspective that people "spend your time doing things you don't like in order to go on doing things you don't like" because of money! It's like a dog chasing his own tail. There's nothing you can get out of your toil no matter how hard you try. And it's stupid.
What was I pointing out? Quit college and pursue the one thing you wanted to?
No.
What Im trying to say is align your want to the will of God.
Matthew 6:33 NIV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
The Bible said,
Matthew 6:23 NIV
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
I don't think majority of those who read this will disagree. If you happen to be a skeptic or do not believe in the existence of God, you still know for a fact that you cannot love the person you are in a relationship with and flirt with another, right?
So, who or what masters you?
If it's money, look at the pattern of the world. Watts said it very well. You are more likely spending your time doing things you don’t like, in order to go on spending things you don’t like.
What a terrible,terrible master!
Well, I have nothing against money. I mean, I believe it is also God who ignited an idea to who knows who to create money. Not to create status quo or make the rich go richer and the poor go poorer but to bless people pressed down, shaken together and running over (Luke 6:38).
Now, what makes the money become a terrible master?
It is the heart of human beings. The heart that yearns for more and never satisfies (greed) and the heart that steals and covets (envy) - the heart that deceives. It's a puzzle no one can figure out (Jeremiah 17:9 MSG)
I am a nursing student and I have few folks there at school who have dreams far from any medicine related courses. A lawyer, a teacher, an accountant, a sleeping handsome 23 hours a day (I think that's totes cray cray either!) and someone who has no dream at all. But why are they there?
Because their parents told them so. Well, there are also some other courses where young people take because they're forced to do so. I only made nursing course an example because it is very common here in the Philippines.
Why are they forced?
Because in nursing career, there's a lot of money. Well, not here locally but internationally. In fact, one of my professor said that if you're a nurse abroad, you could make your family a millionaire in three months.
"But it’s absolutely stupid to spend your time doing things you don’t like, in order to go on spending things you don’t like, and to teach our children to follow in the same track."
Why do they force their kids?
Because it's a pattern. Watts was right. You do things the world has taught you then you teach it to your children. It's the way of the world.
But like what he said, it's stupid.
But how can we not pass it to our children or to the succeeding generation?
(Disclaimer: I am no parent and I'm far from being one as of the moment. But I'd like to state my opinion regarding this.)
The answer is by changing the way that thing between your ears works (in case you didn't understand, I'm referring to your brain. CHANGE THY MINDSET!). Then, you will begin to know and understand how God sees and works on stuff. And that is how you will do away with the world's way of doing things (Romans 12:2) = the curse has been cut!
Can I get a "hurrah!" for that?
This now marks my ending to this post. I will now reveal the second most important question for me. The same last question Watts had left us with in his statement would also be the same question I'd be leaving you by now.
"And so, therefore, it’s so important to consider this question: What do I desire?"
Remember: the heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure(Jeremiah 17:9 NIV) and money is a terrible master.
Now ponder. Happy thinking!
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