Don't Rush My Sainthood Yet, I'm Still A Work In Progress

Although Sam and I are not Buddhists we think the Dali Lama has some pretty good advice when he says we should be the “best version” of ourselves that we can be. The Dali Lama says that as long as we are moving forward toward that goal we are making progress to becoming a happy self and many things become possible.

We are all a work in progress. Saint Paul says much the same thing as the Dali Lama, when he tells the Philippians (1-6) “For I am confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”

But who is the “best version” of ourselves? Unfortunately, too many people think they should be famous – witness some of the woeful lack of talent on The Voice or American Idol. Other people think they are destined to become rich – witness Ponzi scheme prisoners like Bernie Madoff and various other crooks like him. Many people these days think they should be instruments of Allah and wage terrorist war or they should kill innocent black men to protect the public from certain races. Then you have people like former baseball star Alex Rodrigues and Tour d’ France winner Lance Armstrong . . .

How can all those people be so wrong?

It seems to Sam and me that if there are two keys to becoming our best selves. First, we need to accurately assess our talents. Secondly, we need to have determination that we will not be dissuaded from our goals in life if we sincerely believe in our talent. Ironically, plain old doggedness has proven time and time again to be the key to success when talent often goes unused or is misused.

I’d like to think that the best me is a writer, one who will become well-known and wealthy someday. In the meantime, I’m pretty sure the best me I can be is the guy who gets up at 5:45 every morning to make coffee for his wife before she leaves for work (even though I’m retired), who makes a sandwich for her lunch, who cleans the house while she’s gone and prepares dinner for her when she comes home – and does all this with genuine wiliness and no complaining.

The best me is the guy who takes Sam for his walks and grooms him and takes him to the vet when he needs to go and the guy who (hopefully) makes him feel warm and safe and loved.. Naturally, the best me is the guy who feels that way about my kids too although I don’t take them to the vet. And unfortunately, I can’t seem to get Kathleen warm enough no matter how many blankets I pile on her of how close I snuggle her at night. Does anyone manufacture an undercover air conditioner for the husband’s side of the bed?

I also like to think the best me I can be is a kind and friendly guy. I used to like to think of myself as a wild and crazy guy like the actor Steve Martin, but I adopted a personal mantra a few years ago that says, “Be kind. Give Hope.” So many people seem to lack hope. The best me is the guy who prays for those people and for friends. Asking for God’s grace for someone else seems to be a pretty high calling and makes me feel like a best version of myself. I still cuss too much and lose my temper too often, but at least I’m a work in progress.