Don't Wait! Lead the Way!

Do you ever catch yourself waiting for life to happen? It’s tragic to watch someone else live their life to the fullest while you are on the sidelines watching and waiting.  Today I took a few of my young adult guy friends out on the lake fishing. What’s fascinating is to watch the interaction between these guys. One of the guys I have known for over 8 years and have seen him make it through high school. He decided college wasn’t for him but did trade school for refrigeration and heating. His friends are total nerd types that are pursuing engineering at a 4-year university.

What’s interesting is that my one friend who isn’t doing college has influenced his college friends to get back into fishing.  Now they are enjoying life together as they share together the science of knot tying, lures and baits for catching different types of fish. This would never have happened if my one friend hadn’t taken the lead and done something instead of just thinking about it!

So why do most people wait for life to happen? Why does everyone assume that someone else will step up to help the person stranded on the side of the freeway? Why is it the case that it’s always my wife who chooses to rescue that lost runaway dog at the park or in our open space? I’m always taken back as to how many people come up with excuses about living their life in neutral or create their own headaches?

I’m always shocked at how many want to be leaders but don’t get it when it comes to doing normal life without anyone having to tell them what to do! It doesn’t take much education or savvy to be loving, giving, grateful, compassionate, generous or friendly! My mom would always encourage me to open my eyes to see opportunities around me where I could share and care. Yet, the impression I get from most is that they are too busy to actually expend themselves on much of anything.

So what will it be? Take the lead and do something that counts or wait to see if there really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? I’m tired of waiting so I’m going to learn how to fish with my young friends!