“Truth is, you had a purpose before anyone had an opinion. Finish your mission.” This quote is one of those to which I have responded on Facebook. Consequently, they keep coming via cookies or some such tracking software which identifies the type of media you follow on social media or the internet in general.
Don’t get me wrong, if I win something, I’m happy, but given my wholehearted agreement with the opening quote in this column, if I lose, I’m also happy. These days I do most things because I love doing them or at the very least because I want to do them, not because people respond positively when I do them.
In the spirit of Sally Field’s once famous utterance at winning an award, “you like me, you really like me;” I’m genuinely grateful when someone responds positively to my work, whether it’s mowing the lawn, planting a flower, producing an awesome meal or cake, cookie or salad, writing a funny or enlightening article, or cleaning up something that was once dingy or sad. Although your positive response is a welcome and lovely bonus, I’m doing this because it’s what I do, even an expression of who I am?
Good, better, or best, I’m delighted to have been in the running of any race. In fact, I awoke this day thinking of the word, “good” and if it’s one of those that we had to “conjugate” in high school English class. I recall analyzing words like good, better, best and I think conjugation goes something like that.
I don’t believe I have to expend the mental energy to verify if good is one of those words, but in the context of my thoughts here, the concept of “best of the best,” is just another form of good and better. You’ve heard someone say, “I’m good,” when responding to your asking them to do something and they’d just as soon not?
Well, I’m good, and I mean it in the best possible way. It would feel good to be voted the best, I won’t deny. It feels nice to be admired for your abilities, your looks, a job well done, and to be paid, which is one way of telling you you’re good.
Google informs me that “both good and well change to better and best in their comparative and superlative forms. Use the comparative form – better – when comparing two items. Use the superlative form – best – when comparing three or more items.” So, you’re only considered best when you’re better than three or more other good people. Hmm.
I learned many years ago to try really hard not to compare myself to others because comparison can be a root of jealousy, self-blame, and/or conceit; none of which are pretty. So, when I want to be the best at something, I try only to compare myself to my former self. Am I the best that I can be? And, just as importantly, are you the best that you can be?
So, democracy and the idea of voting for your favorite – really a popularity contest, rankles me just a little bit. I wonder, is the most popular one, the best one? Doesn’t popularity wax and wane? Popularity isn’t solid, in my view. It’s fickle.
My mom once called me fickle and I was highly insulted. I think it was in relation somehow to being late for church when my husband and I had to drive twenty miles compared to her one-mile trek. Mom, really?
So, the fickleness of popularity and democracy, neither sit well with me. Now, Republic, which America is supposed to represent, is another story. Republics are based on the rule of law or constitution which theoretically protects minorities, the unpopular ones who might be trampled by the popular ones in a society.
If you’re popular, you probably don’t notice injustice quite as much as those of us who have to fight through the massive crowd to get noticed. Imagine being a minority, it’s like being an eternally short person in a sea of giants, jumping up to get a glimpse now and then of what’s out there.
I’m competitive, but with myself. I push myself to be better. But I’m no salesperson and I don’t take to self-promotion like a duck to water.
So, good, better, or best, pat yourself on the back for running the race, putting in an effort, and doing your best. I’m good if you’re good. In fact, whether you’re voted for or not voted for, popular or unpopular, you’re really the best.