This post in honor of "Butter my Biscuits," a long-standing camp volunteer with a very different name he uses in real life. He suggested the idea of "Beta Man," who doesn't see the need to give 110% all the time.
"Try your best."
Teachers, parents, posters, notebooks, greeting cards, and advertisements all encouraging the same mode of operation: your best.
My best self is friendly to everyone, parallel parks successfully on the first try, and cooks the bacon to perfect crispness every single time.
My best self socializes well, always does her homework before midnight, and never drips marinara sauce on her mint capris.
My best self is an excellent communicator, wakes up without the snooze button, and daily eats a proper serving of fruits and vegetables.
My best self is not me.
I tried to be my best self for a while. Then I got tired of always trying, and reverted to "real me." Real Me has thoughts, feelings, and needs that ruin the Best Self image. To say the very least, Real Me has marinara sauce on my mint capris.*
That isn't to say that I am no good. I am, in fact, glorious. The Ultimate Creator crafted me from the salt of the earth with the tips of his fingers; how could I be less than remarkable?
So - is "best" what we are really supposed to strive for? Nope. I think we should shoot for "genuine." The True Self.
My True Self usually needs to shimmy the car three or four times before I successfully wiggle into a parallel parking spot. But does that really matter?
Being your True Self is not an excuse to let all your selfish tendencies run wild. Nope. True Self is about embracing who you were created to be.
I was not created to skip class and turn in my papers late. I was created to glorify My Maker.
And since My Maker said to go to college, stay in college, and take an extra year, than I had better do it to the best of my ability.
Shoot. Usually, by the end of these things I feel like I've figured something out, but there I'm still trying to be "the best."
Dear Jesus,
What exactly should I be thinking about this now? Please help.
Amen.
*I inexplicably find myself eating spaghetti every time I wear my mint capris.
