"In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work.
It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years."
Jacques Barzun (b. 1907)
French-born American Scholar, Cultural Historian,
Teacher
While our kids in Tennessee still have a few days of freedom left, many others are kicking off their school year today. So in their honor, an education quote.
Barzun sums up why teaching is such a thankless endeavor; whether you're a paid professional or simply molding the little minds with whom you live.
But, in my view, Barzun makes a bigger point:
EVERYthing of significance is "invisible... for maybe twenty years."
How many times have we said creating a new world - relationally, personally, professionally, spiritually - is tough because you can't see the results right away.
Remember, you make a decision today - you do what you're capable of doing - and...drum roll please...
Nothing happens.
It's the ultimate buzzkill isn't it?
Here's the thing:
We live in a world that is all about instant gratification. We get ill when Google takes more than 3 seconds to load,
forgetting that 20 years ago we'd have had to drive to the library and trudge through volumes of encyclopedias to find that answer.
Our kids don't wait for the Sears catalog to arrive in the mail, pick out the ONE thing they want for Christmas
and wait patiently for months, looking at that picture every day until the big day finally arrives.
Nope.
They buy it at Target and trade it at GameStop two weeks later.
Or they rent it at Blockbuster and are done with it in a week.
Do you see the danger?
We're conditioning ourselves to settle for the quick & easy in life.
When something takes longer than 15 minutes, we lose interest or give up in frustration.
One more time, people...
It ain't work dat way!
When you're creating a new world for yourself & your family you won't see the results today, or even tomorrow.
In fact, you may not see the results for 20 years!
But take heart, because in 20 years you WILL see a result.
Because of your action - or inaction - today, you will see a result in 20 years.
It will be good or it will be bad, but it WILL come.
Barzun sums up why teaching is such a thankless endeavor; whether you're a paid professional or simply molding the little minds with whom you live.
But, in my view, Barzun makes a bigger point:
EVERYthing of significance is "invisible... for maybe twenty years."
How many times have we said creating a new world - relationally, personally, professionally, spiritually - is tough because you can't see the results right away.
Remember, you make a decision today - you do what you're capable of doing - and...drum roll please...
Nothing happens.
It's the ultimate buzzkill isn't it?
Here's the thing:
We live in a world that is all about instant gratification. We get ill when Google takes more than 3 seconds to load,
forgetting that 20 years ago we'd have had to drive to the library and trudge through volumes of encyclopedias to find that answer.
Our kids don't wait for the Sears catalog to arrive in the mail, pick out the ONE thing they want for Christmas
and wait patiently for months, looking at that picture every day until the big day finally arrives.
Nope.
They buy it at Target and trade it at GameStop two weeks later.
Or they rent it at Blockbuster and are done with it in a week.
Do you see the danger?
We're conditioning ourselves to settle for the quick & easy in life.
When something takes longer than 15 minutes, we lose interest or give up in frustration.
One more time, people...
It ain't work dat way!
When you're creating a new world for yourself & your family you won't see the results today, or even tomorrow.
In fact, you may not see the results for 20 years!
But take heart, because in 20 years you WILL see a result.
Because of your action - or inaction - today, you will see a result in 20 years.
It will be good or it will be bad, but it WILL come.
And if you want to celebrate in 20 years, the formula is simple;
just Astound Yourself Today!
just Astound Yourself Today!
Brian
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