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DAVID BENTLEY'S WEEKLY COLUMN |
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POSED TO DO IT
When I taught elementary school, I often presented a lesson to the whole class and then divided the students into smaller groups to tackle an assignment. Occasionally there were students who would insist that their whole group do things in a certain way. I remember asking one such student why she had been so insistent. Her response was, "That's the way you're 'posed to do it." We all do things from time to time because we're supposed to do them. This week people are celebrating Easter A few will wake up before dawn in order to attend an outdoor, sunrise service. Some will celebrate in churches with festive hymns and anthems, bright banners and clusters of fragrant lilies. Others will celebrate by hiding dyed eggs and watching children hunt for them. Many will eat a large meal that includes baked ham and a coconut covered cake shaped like a rabbit or an egg. Chocolate bunnies and gooey confectionery treats will be consumed in excess. All of these Easter traditions began for a reason, but many of the reasons have been lost, changed, or adapted. Few of us will ask ourselves why we continue to do these things. We will do them because we are supposed to do them, or, like my former student, we're "posed" to do them. We will perform certain actions simply to be seen, as if posing for a camera. Many times we take action without having a particular reason, and that's okay. We just haven't given it thought. However doing something because we're supposed to do it is just as thoughtless. Asking ourselves why we do things helps us gain clarity. When we know why we do things a certain way, we can stop posing and make better choices about our actions.
© 2006 David Bentley David Bentley, M.Ed. & Personal Coach, coaches clients through the game of life, helping them find balance, clarity of direction, and purpose in an ever-changing world. You may contact him at 360.378.8436 by e-mail at david@coachbentley.com or visit his Web site: www.coachbentley.com |
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