Life is Hard

 

When I hear somebody say that life is hard, I am always tempted to ask, "Compared to what?" 
       --Sydney J. Harris

This is a very thought-provoking quote.  Life may be hard.  I don’t think we have any real right to complain about that.  We are not promised otherwise, but it is not always hard. Actually, most of us are incredibly blessed.  When we think life is too hard what exactly would we like it to be?  I know, there a lot of easy answers to that... trouble free, healthy, stable, happy, comfortable, and less challenging.  But that is not life, is it?   

Life is hard

Recently, as I was working through a personal challenge in my mind, I was reminded of how difficult life can be.  We were not promised that life will always be easy or comfortable, and I don’t know anyone who believes it is.  Our family members battle health issues and financial challenges. Friends lose loved ones and experience family break-ups. Businesses suffer losses, economic challenges and pandemics. Churches and civic organizations face internal battles and external negative forces.  Everyone knows the saying, “It’s always something”, and it is! There is always some kind of a battle going on. We always face challenges large or small. Life is about how we deal with these things, not just what we are dealing with at the moment.

It may seem funny that I am writing about how difficult life is just one week after writing about the importance of being thankful.  I actually don’t consider that to be inconsistent.  Life is challenging, but we continue to be blessed with opportunities and solutions. How you get through your challenges today and this week make you who you are in the days, weeks and years to come.

ASAP isn’t a commitment – it’s confusion

Ever made a request for something to be done only to hear, “I’ll get it done ASAP,” or “I’ll get back to you ASAP”?  This response just leads to uncertainty and confusion about what is real and when things will happen.  Truth be told, ASAP is a phrase that doesn’t come from anyone who is serious about getting things done.  It is a strategy for postponement of work, poor performance, or breaking commitments. It is often a chief cause of breakdowns in teams who count on each other to get things completed in a timely manner.  ASAP is the vernacular for the semi-committed.  It is for those who seem more comfortable living with unspecified promises than they are about giving the gift of clear commitment.

The phrase ASAP has no specifics or timelines attached to it and shows a lack of concern for others’ commitments and responsibilities.  It’s a form of ambiguity that, in the end, will require more work than being clear in the first place. How much more effective could we be if every commitment and conversation were specific? People appreciate it when we tell them what’s real.  They are able to stay accountable, share details of the commitment with others, and track progress along the way. The remedy for life productivity and stress reduction rests largely on what we can count on, and counting on ASAP just isn’t possible.

Say good-bye to ASAP, ASAP!