She won't be a sprinter or hurdler either. No, she will be a distance runner, and her best event will likely be the longest one that they offer in UIL competition.
This won't be a result of me forcing her to do something. It's not because I'm trying to relive my missed opportunities vicariously through her like so many pathetic parents do with their kids. It's quite the opposite. I have no desire to run long distances. None at all.
In fact, when I played sports in school, I chose tennis. It's a sport where the running is broken down into very short distances, and there are built in breaks while you wait for the ball to travel from you to your opponent and then be returned to you again. There are longer breaks between points, even longer breaks between games, and still longer breaks between sets. There is actually little to no continuous running at all. That's more my speed.
And that is precisely why I'm convinced my baby girl will end up going to the complete opposite end of the athletic spectrum.
When this concept struck me the other day, the horror that attacked me was the thought that she will want me to help her at times with her training. I can already hear it.
"Hey Dad, I am going to go run a quick five miles. Will you come with me?"
Yikes! Oh well, as long as it's not yoga I guess.
I love my daughter. When that time comes, if she wants me to run, I will want to run with her. I want to be able to run, but I'm in very poor physical condition.
That thought is what clued me in to what is potentially the most dangerous word in our language. But. Three little letters that give us all an incredibly easy way out of facing or enjoying what we could or should be.
But.
I know this isn't a completely original concept. (For example, wait until you see the incredible quote I found for the end of this post.) It is just something that has been been nagging my conscience for weeks now. How much have I weasled out of in life by tacking on a simple "but"?
I'm reminded of a tobacco prevention poster from my school days. It showed rows of straight on photos of various animal hind quarters. The last photo was the remnant of a cigarette. The poster claimed that "Butts are gross." It was effective campaigning. I have never forgotten it. Now, I want to amend it slightly.
Buts are gross.
I don't believe that we can successfully eliminate the word from such a well established lexicon. So, how can we effectively reverse the effects of a but? I suggest simply reversing the but.
When you catch yourself adding a negative but onto a positive thought, just flip it. For example, "I want to write more, but I don't have much time" becomes "I don't have much time, but I want to write more." Now instead of an excuse, it has become a challenge. You've literally created an opportunity for yourself. Now instead of using a but as a reason not to do something, you can use the but to encourage yourself to find a way to make something happen.
WARNING!! Similar to other rules such as "I before E except after C," this rule applies only in cases where it is convenient to apply it. If the statement is something like "I want to jump out of this plane, but I do not have a parachute," DO NOT reverse the but.
Use with caution. Repeat as often as required.
So what's it going to be? What buts are gross in your life? What buts need reversing?
As for me...
I'm in very poor physical condition, but I want to be able to run.
Scripture: "for the LORD will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught." - Proverbs 3:26
Quote: "The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the buts you use today." - Les Brown
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