Growing Up and Sow's Ears

I think some children's author said once that growing up is hard to do.

I concur heartily.
There are certain times in one's life when you stop, blink your eyes a few times and think, "Whoa! I really need to grow up!".

Those moments, those epiphanies are times that I wish I could hang on to whenever I slip back into my childish ways or my foolish ideas of settling for less than I deserve. 

For some strange reason I tend to take the back seat when it comes to hoping for the best and I know that affects my decision, my behaviors and my entire outlook on life. 

And I'm not necessarily talking about spiritual hope, because I know true hope for our lives comes from God and whenever we need it He will give it to us. 

I'm talking now about basic everyday hope. Hoping for the best, hoping for good things to happen, hoping for life to get a little less bumpy soon.

The way my brain has somehow twisted hope is to only hope for the mediocre, the middle of the road, the okay, the so-so. 

On a spiritual level I may trust God to give me hope for a good life, happy times, good health et cetera, yet on a more basic, rudimentary level for some reason I only hope for an okay job or semi-decent lifestyle, just enough to eek by in life, at least an okay marriage and I'll make the best of it.

I know that most people do "make the best of it" whether that is in their job, marriage, home life or otherwise, and I know I will have to "make the best of it" many, many times in my own life, BUT I don't think I should have to look forward to mediocre, making the best of it forever in everything I do. 

I don't think I will have to deal with the short straw all my life, in every area. 

I need to hang onto the hope that sometimes I'll be better than second fiddle, that once in a while I will shine or I will be able to delight in the best of something instead of fooling myself into thinking that my less-than-best is best.

Basically, I need to grow-up and realize that I am meant for more than the proverbial sow's ear! (You know the saying, making a silk purse....) 

I do not have to settle, to sit back and grasp the lameness that I think is all I will get. 

I know there is more, there is better. 

As my pal Stuart Smalley once said, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me!" 

Ha!