Why I like Americans

An appropriate subtitle to this career column might be “What Americans have to offer the world.” Please remember, though, that this modest website has a global focus. This post could be about any group of people. But Americans happen to be my next door neighbours. And so, as I offer a few words of affirmation to my American friends and neighbours, perhaps you might be thinking about the people who live next to you.

Everybody has something to offer.

It hardly needs to be mentioned, but the observations that follow are based merely on my own perspective and experience living on the top of the North American continent or, as Canada is sometimes known, in the “Great White North.” In other words, I am not claiming to be an expert on American culture. As well, this short list is not at all exhaustive and is offered in no particular order.

What do Americans have to offer?

1. A strong military presence

From my perspective, Canada has benefited greatly by being located on the edge of the American empire and under the shadow of the American shield. Let’s face it. Nobody in Canada really expects that the Canadian military is equipped to defend the country from a large and hostile nation. We are a small country, and have always been associated with – and to some extent dependent on – larger world powers. I for one am very thankful that the USA understands the importance of “walking softly and carrying a big stick.”

Oh, I am all for peace. But the harsh reality is that there are other military powers in the world that pose a significant threat to countries like Canada. So, if you are one of the millions of Americans who is somehow contributing to the defence of the free world…thanks. Thanks a lot. Your effort is much appreciated. Your sacrifice has made this world a better place.

Please don’t take this as an affirmation of absolutely everything the American military has ever done. But, at the same time, please try to understand that Americans are providing a great service to the Western world and beyond that often goes unnoticed.

2. A spirit of generosity

For whatever reason, Americans are an unusually generous group of people. They tend to volunteer a lot and give away a larger percentage of their money. The surveys I have seen confirm this again and again. Combine a large and powerful economy with a spirit of generosity and you have a recipe for doing a lot of good in this world. Americans seem to be everywhere doing all kinds of things to help people.

Many Canadians are giving people, but overall we are not as generous as the folks next door. Maybe one day we will catch up. But for now, they have us beat.

Right now, though, many Americans are facing serious financial difficulties. My hope and prayer is that their economy will fully recover; that they will rise up once again to their full financial height; and that they will continue to shower the world with their incredible generosity.

This world could use a few more Americans. If that means people who work hard and give of themselves generously…we could use many, many more.

3. Christian Influence

If you compare the USA to other nations, you will notice that this country is made up of a very large percentage of people who identify themselves as Christians. While some people may resent Christian influence, I am not one of them. This weary world could use a great deal more authentic Christian influence. Bring it on.

It is fashionable to assume that it doesn’t really matter what you believe; that religion is all a matter of personal preference. This is nonsense. In a hundred years people will look back and wonder about the sanity of people who believed such things. Believing “whatever” isn’t going to be very appealing for those who have to deal with all the cultural consequences. If core convictions don’t matter, what does?

Sure, it has always been the case that “Christian” countries were not entirely filled with sweetness and light. But even if you have no desire to be connected with the strong Christian heritage in the Western world…have a look around. Where exactly would you like to live?

Remove any and all authentic Christian influence from your country today and you might not be as happy as you might think about the nation you are living in tomorrow.

So carry on, my American friends. In each and every way, carry on. Become everything you can become. Pursue your potential. Make the difference that you were intended to make. Carry on.

Growing strong together

What to say that might be of some encouragement to you in your life journey today?

Can I say that even though we have never met, and likely never will, that I am proud to be identified with you? Yes, you. Would it sound too personal to mention that I am privileged to be associated with you? A complete stranger, perhaps. And would it come across as naive or even foolish to add that I know you are going to make a big difference with your life?

Yes, this world will be different – better – because you were here. When you leave this old world there will be a sense of loss. Do you believe that?

It may not mean much for you to hear some guy on the Internet say this. Understandable so. Somebody much more significant in your life should really be saying these words. But if you haven’t heard them for a while, or if you haven’t really been listening when they came, here they are again: “You matter. Your life matters. You have potential. God made you for a purpose. There is something important for you to do while you are here. Try to gain a glimpse of what that might be. Work at it. Find your place. Live your life. Let it shine!”

Moving ahead…slowly

It is better to move ahead slowly in your life than not to move ahead at all. Feeling frustrated at how long everything seems to take? Longing for something new and different in your life? Waiting and wondering if that day will ever come? Be encouraged. Things take time. What you hope to become and accomplish with your life will not happen instantly or overnight. Sometimes it seems to take the sun forever to show up on the horizon to end the night and brighten the day.

Years ago, I worked my way through a life-planning course of sorts with the help of a mentor or a guide. The authors of this particular resource suggested that the period of greatest life influence usually takes place between the age of 40 and 60. If you are over sixty years of age, please do not read this and be discouraged. Life isn’t over yet. You still have much to offer and much to give. But, if you are in the twenty or thirty-something range, remember: It takes quite a few years to produce good wine.

Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom before you can finally find a place where you can truly stand. Once you feel the full weight of the futility of this life, for example, living for the glory of God begins to make sense. What you think is really important when you are 20 is not always what you will value when you are 40. Growing older is, of course, not always synonymous with maturity or growth. But it is often the case that wisdom comes with age.

It is when your vision fades and you are wearing bifocals that you usually begin to see more clearly in other ways.

Be assured that the purpose of this brief post is not to put anyone down. The purpose is rather to remind you that you need to be patient. Patience is a virtue for a variety of reasons. So rather than trying to move ahead too quickly in your life, choose to be content with making a little progress each day.

Adding to your anxiety

One way to eventually reduce your career and life direction anxiety is to try to become exceedingly more anxious than you are right now. No, really. Go crazy. Up the anti. Crank up the volume. Hit that panic button with a sledge-hammer. WHAM! Swing with both hands. Get yourself worked up into an emotional frenzy. Cut loose. Have a complete meltdown. Savour the moment. Try to temporarily feel the full weight of your desparate sate.

In other words, make a concerted effort to really freak yourself out. It won’t take long. But the overall positive impact on your perspective could be long-lasting.

This dramatic and intense approach isn’t, of course, usually a very good idea. If you are like most people, you need to be encouraged to worry less not more; you need to find time to focus on what is positive and get in the habit of tuning-out what is negative; you also need to turn up what is true and learn to turn down all the anxiety-producing lies.

The view from the shore

Considering trying out a new and improved career and life direction is comparable to standing on the shore and about to step into a small boat.

Chances are that you will feel a sense of unease and a great deal of apprehension. Even fear. Yes, fear. Don’t be surprised if the air suddenly feels cool down by the water as you watch the waves crashing into the shore. You feel chilled. You feel uncomfortable and out-of-place. Cold. Salt is in the air; you can taste it. And the wind is picking up. One after another, larger and louder they come; the waves come. What seemed soothing and relaxing while walking along the beach is, well, frightening now that you have gotten a little closer and a bit wet.

You might not want to admit it, but you are feeling more than a little concerned. You are afraid. If there was a panic button nearby you might be inclined to push it. If you didn’t think you might need them later, you would already be firing off your flares.

If only you could fly like the seagulls that are circling overhead. Fly directly and effortlessly to your destination. Quickly and safely. Without a care in the world. If only. But you can’t. You will soon be bound to that boat – that old, wooden boat.

Training her strengths

Fast and far.

Clara Hughes can go faster and further than most. Watch and wait and see. Standing on the sidelines she will blast right on by before you know it. Six Olympic metals offer proof of her athletic ability and tell part of her personal story.

When it comes to speed and endurance, especially endurance, she is very difficult to beat. Let her lace-up her skates or get her on her bike and she will keep going and going and going. Fast.

In Mr. Bean’s Holiday, Rowan Atkinson may have been impressively speedy on his borrowed bike in his frustrated attempt to get to La Mer, but he can’t keep up with Clara Hughes. Few can.

It doesn’t pay to panic

It was a set-up.

The young man hobbling towards us on crutches seemed to be eager to help. He appeared to be harmless. He didn’t look like a card-carrying member of the local mafia. On the contrary, he was friendly. He smiled. We forgot that the bad guys rarely look bad. He spoke in broken English with a charming and delightful accent. Surely, here was someone we could trust. Someone who was happy to help out a handful of tourists who couldn’t speak the language and were looking for the local McDonald’s restaurant.

It can’t be far away. Maybe we should ask someone how to get there. Hey, that guy over there speaks a little English. Why don’t we ask him?

If is fair to say that friendliness is what we expected. We had read the tourist pamphlets which, of course, all tend to say the same thing no matter where you plan to go on the planet: “Everyone in Death Valley, etc. is so friendly.” From all the advertising you would think that the “friendlies” had taken over the world. So as our new friend quickly offered to guide us to the golden arches, we all followed right along. And for some reason an image of a group of young sheep now comes to mind.

Let’s face it: Life is far too easy for most people.

Problems are hard to come by – almost impossible to find. Stress is just beyond our grasp. So elusive. Most of you have more friends than you know what to do with, and much more money than you can manage.

Sunshine. Good times. That is likely all you have ever known. But not knowing where to turn, you try to make do the best you can.

Such is life. The trials of this life.

Many have noticed that the entire human story is, more or less, all about living in a state of perpetual bliss. You have noticed too, haven’t you? Happiness and contentment. Peace and joy. Health and prosperity. Harmony and unity. That is what life is mostly all about in this corner of the Milky Way. Isn’t it? It never seems to end, and it is getting old. Life unrolls before us like a red carpet day after day.

Surely, it is time for a change.

StrengthsFinder 2.0

How accurate is your vision? How clearly can you see yourself?

If you are like most people, you probably have a hard time noticing what is wrong with you and what is right with you. It may well be that neither comes easy. For whatever reason, it is an incredible challenge for many to clearly perceive personal problems and potential. Can’t seem to cut through the haze.

So major faults go undetected for years while great gifts and talents lie dormant. Such is life. Your life and mine. All too often, that is how it seems to be – for a great number of people, anyway.

As you inch towards the end of your life you begin to wonder what could have been.

Call it part of being human. Trace it back to humanity’s historic fall. Try to blame it on biology and all those conniving chemicals. Connect it to the culture in your community. But, regardless of all reasons, the glory and shame of each person’s unique humanity often remains undetected. It flies, as it were, under the radar.

And it can take much more than a moment of clarity and insight to be able to say something like, “Hello, my name is _____ and I am an alcoholic.” Or “Hi, my name is_______ (please insert your own) and I am good at _____.” It can take years. It can take a lifetime. But it doesn’t have to.

Diving in: courage and caution

I wonder if fish find it as refreshing to jump out of the water as many humans find it to jump in? It must be exhilarating for the water creatures to break free and launch up and out into the light, bright, air every now and then. Wouldn’t you think?

Haven’t talked to too many fish lately, but I’ll bet that leaping out of the water isn’t all about survival and merely trying to get the bugs. It sure looks a lot like play. And it must also make for a refreshing change. Picking up speed at the bottom of the lake, there are likely moments of doubt. But once they come flying out of the water and are hanging in mid air…it has got to feel good on the fins. Real good.

In any case, most people reading this likely tend to think that water feels good – especially on a hot summer day. You know how it is. Driving into the parking lot at the beach, in a car without air conditioning, you can hardly wait to get into the water.

At May 09, 2012
By Nathan
In Career & Life Planning, Meeting Needs
0

Setting up my tiny tent on a sandbar on the edge of a large creek in the Rocky Mountains seemed like a good idea at the time.

Sand was soft, and so this site was very attractive. There were very few annoying rocks to deal with. Pounding in the tent pegs was no problem at all. On top of that, the surface was flat. And it would be peaceful to be surrounded by water and quiet too. The noisy campers over there on the hard, rocky, ground wouldn’t keep me awake after all.

Yes, I had finally found the perfect place to get a good night’s rest. Don dug a hole in order to find soft, level, ground for his tent. Surely this campsite idea was an improvement on that. Or so I thought.