Lesson Learned…

35 Replies

I have always considered myself a bright child but a slow learner. I could usually pick up on what needed to be learned but I didn’t want do the work to get there. I am by nature lazy unless I get excited about something and then I’m a Pitbull. I am a woman of contradictions, but then… so are you. We are never exactly what we appear to be to others and that is not always a bad thing. Every book has a cover that entices you either by the words used or the picture it portrays. It’s what is inside that matters.

And the same is true with people. We portray an image to the world that is expected. We follow the rules and do as we are told. But we often let our hair down when the world is not looking and that’s when life gets interesting. But sometimes we need to learn our lessons the hard way. I occasionally need to run over my own foot before I realize I shouldn’t be doing that. I might do it once more just to be sure. But those lessons do get learned, eventually.

In school I was an average student. I excelled at the studies I enjoyed and I squeaked by in the ones I did not enjoy. I would study at the last minute or do my essay the night before and sometimes I got away with it brilliantly. Annoying to some of my friends.  I once wrote an essay, literally the night before and the morning of. When it was handed in, I was quite pleased with myself but I figured it was probably just average. When we got the essays back a week later the teacher stood up in front of the class held a paper up and said that this was a student who took the time to do the research and to do it well. That we should take note and realize that things didn’t always come easy, we had to work at it. My friend looked at me and quietly mouth a bad word. It was my paper. I never told the teacher the truth. But some things came easily to me and those are the ones I enjoyed doing. I loved to write those essays because I loved to write. I didn’t need to do a lot of work and that meant the lessons I needed to learn weren’t learned.  I was OK being average.

There is a part of me that wonders how well I would have done had I applied myself and then I realize that I had a wonderful life, I still am. I don’t look back with regret but I think I would have regrets had I spent the time worrying about things that were ultimately unimportant. I might have missed a great deal of enjoyment.  I got the work done. I learned the important lessons. And I made use of the world in front of me. That is a lesson we all need to take to heart.

35 thoughts on “Lesson Learned…”

  4. K.L. Hale

    Pam, your writing is inspiring. You hit on so many truths and I understand. My heart and head were nodding. I love that you have no regrets and you’re so wise~worrying over unimportant things is such a waste. I’ve learned the hard way. What a great lesson you shared. Thank you for sharing this with us. I have so much respect for you. ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

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  5. Murphy’s Law

    You, my friend, take “being average” to new heights! “No matter what it is you’re doing, do the very best you can”, my dad always said. I’ve goofed off on more than one occasion, and it showed in the results. My bad!
    Ginger

    Liked by 2 people

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  8. Dale

    I hear you loud and clear Sister-Friend! I was/am the same way. I “could have” probably gone way further than I did if I had applied myself. I wasn’t of the nature to need to try. Bright enough to pass with or without flying colours, no extra energy expended. Worked out rather decently for the most part 😉
    As it did for you as you are such a lovely and bright person.

    Liked by 1 person

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  10. Dan Antion

    You have a great outlook, Pam. I was much like you in school. I liked different things, but I did well when interested and so-so when not interested. You’ve done well, and you stand above the others in my book.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. rangewriter

    I recognize and can relate to your self-description as a lazy child, but a Pitbull when something matters to you. I, too, am quit happy and satisfied with being a life-long underachiever. I like living in the moment and that is hard to do when one is driven to excel all the time.

    Liked by 1 person

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  13. sunhesper

    That question “how well I would have done had I applied myself” really hit me as someone who was always a good student, even exemplary, but simply lacked the ambition to “succeed” in life. I’m still confident in saying I’m quite successful in the art of living, and so are you, and that’s all that matters.

    Liked by 1 person

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