Monday, February 26, 2007

Life's Roller Coaster

After reading a friends blog about her journey living in japan and the challenges shes facing. It got me to thinking about life and the constant roller coaster we are always on. She was going over the challenges to everyday life and it made me realize that even though we are both in an entirely different situation we are going through a lot of the same challenges. She is struggling with the language barrier and trying to understand everyone. In the business world, little did I know that they have their own language as well, with terminology that I simply do not understand and have to have my boss translate everything to me. It's a constant struggle to learn, remember, and be able to use and understand things about business that I simply did not learn in school.

She also talks about building new relationships. She said that the people in Japan don't know her as she was back home and the people back home don't know her as she is in Japan. I think this is common for everyone leaving college and entering into the real world. It is time to grow up and act more mature, but at the same time I just want to let loose and go crazy every now and then. I've been getting close to my boss, talking about everything from friends, to boys, to work, vacations. But sometimes I wonder, where do I cross the line? I've had the problem of being way too honest for my own good. I simply can't lie and if I do, I promise I will tell you that I lied to you shortly after. I just want everyone to know the real me without any boundaries, but I guess in some situations with some people you have to put up a shield and they don't necessarily need to know everything about you. They can simply know the you now, and the you as you continue to grow from here on out.

The last thing I wanted to talk about is Life's Roller coaster. My friend was explaining that her decision to stay another year in Japan was tough, because while most days she loves it. There are just others days when she can't stand it. A really bad day will turn out good by simple little things. I find this in my life all the time. And looking back, it's not just now, it's always been that way. I've had so many experiences where I just felt like I couldn't take it anymore. From people being rude to me, getting lost on the road for hours, nothing going right. I wanted to scream and cry and just quit right then and there. And then, in an instant I had one great account. The person was nice and actually needed my help, he was so shocked that I just showed up he wasn't at all mad for me dropping by without warning. He said he had been wanting someone to come by to help him out with some issues. I felt so great after leaving there that the entire rest of the bad day just sort of floated away and I was great. I loved my job and it was so rewarding after visiting 8 other accounts, that one account just made everything worth it.

The smallest things in life can change an entire emotion. Whether it be getting to a good account, having some students eat lunch with you, have someone simply be nice to you, or even have a stranger just smile to you on the street. I believe that the good things in life really do outweigh the bad. And if you can just hang out to those good moments and remember them when things seem so bad that you just want to quit, you will make it through, and be happy that you did. Life is a roller coaster. There are going to be so many ups and downs. Some really high ups and some really low downs. But in the end, its usually worth it. Just keep going, keep looking forward, and keep smiling because you never know when you could make someone Else's bad day, just turn around.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't Quit Poem
by anonymous

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! if you must; but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow;
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit;
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

My favorite poem, words to live by. Rember to stay away from the Red Lobster on Saturday afternoons, don't ever stop for coffee at Dunkin Donuts on your way to dinner. Last of all, alway smile and wink at cute DJ's in Macey's, you may just may turn their bad day into a great day! Love - Me

Sara said...

I loved the analogies you pulled between our lives. It was really hard for me at first to know when to "not cross the line". It'll get easier - I rarely discuss my personal life to my co-workers now.
Miss you!
Love you!
Stay strong!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hey JC.
Good blog. I think that I can only know people when I knew them, I know you as a crazy, fun loving, nice person. I don't think these qualities change with time, you know? Life is fucking odd, I guess. Anyway take care.