Getting our Priorities Right!

GETTING OUR PRIORITIES RIGHT! (written June 2006)
I definitely did not expect that kind of outburst from him that morning. Little did I know that venturing into his office would change my plans. Maybe if I had known, I would have postponed the visit. But all that is past now. His words still reverberates in my ears.
“What are we talking about here? You mean you have a month old baby at home and you are here to see me for what? My dear, get your priorities right!”
“but sir”, I sauntered in,” I have a nanny taking care of the baby. I wouldn’t leave the baby unattended!”
“listen my dear”, he cut in, obviously agitated with my explanation,” what is more important, this or the future of your child? You should be at home cuddling your baby, transferring your values to her till she is at least six months! Who are you competing with?”
I guess that phrase did it. It struck me like thunderbolt. It jolted up my system, bringing me to a rude awakening of something I hitherto took for granted.
Has it ever crossed your mind that you could have been unconsciously competing against yourself-in your home-in school-at work-even in the society-by working towards certain goals you just must meet up with? Perhaps you are doing “it” just to please your spouse-children-boss-friends etc. you may reason “what is wrong with that anyway? One surely has to live for something!” but I ask “at what and whose expense?”
The truth is that we don’t realize in time what we are doing. I mean the full implications. To most of us (like in my own case) we are just being smart, obviously making the best use of our time. we go on doing what “we have to do”, not minding whose ox is gored-we work very hard and late to earn promotion in the office-we read so hard that we cant do anything else-we leave our very tender babies at home for very long hours-we stretch our purse so hard to buy that piece of item-to send our kids to that school-the list is endless. We just must measure up.
Where then does priority come in? Our priority should naturally be our first concern, and should intricately be intertwined with our values. Our values remain those things we should give precedence, which we should never compromise. Compromising them only goes to show our ignorance and lack of commitment. We should learn just like the economist, to place every need on a scale of preference. Then following the scale we set precedence because it is the timing that determines the adequacy and appropriateness of whatever action we take as long as our value system and sense of judgment remains positive.
Have a pleasant time out and remain strengthened to make all the right decisions.