The Life cereal commercial of the 1970’s featured Mikey and his friends who were trying to get him to try the cereal. They pushed the bowl in front of him and said “Let’s get Mikey. He’ll try it. He’ll eat anything” and so he does try it and likes it. Mikey’s friends exclaimed, “He likes it! Hey Mikey!!” And so it goes that Life is presented to us and we can choose to try its opportunities or pass. Lots of things factor into why I have chosen or not chosen to pursue opportunities. I will focus on just a couple pursuits.
As a child, I joined the Brownies and Girl scouts. Every Tuesday morning, I would don my uniform and my merit badge sash. Proudly I could show the world that I had tried to play the autoharp or cook and make homemade applesauce or write my own book. It seemed like you could name it and there would be a badge for it. Even though they were called merit badges, it never seemed like I had to succeed brilliantly or be the best at everything I tried. What was important was that I tried, and just like Mikey - and for many of the things I tried - I liked them. There were some that I didn’t like naturally and I still got a badge for trying. But sometimes the menace of perfectionism, and the misunderstood idea of what mediocrity is, seeps its way into my adult life and can poison my pursuits of enrichment.
I always was fascinated with the piano. But my family did not own a piano or keyboard. However, when I was a freshman in college there were two upright pianos in the practice rooms. I started messing around with the keys and the sounds until I could actually play some songs even if they were all in the key of C. Eventually I inherited a Casiotone from my mom. She too was equally fascinated with the piano so she bought a keyboard. Over the past year, during the early days of quarantine and the pandemic, I spent quite a few lonely nights playing my Casiotone. But thanks to social media, I serenaded my friends who I thought might appreciate an imperfect version of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue or a Beatles song on Facebook. I enjoyed my time just playing for the sake of playing and not trying to be perfect about it.
I’m a dictionary nerd. I recently looked up the word ‘mediocrity’ because there is a small voice that can seep in and throw water on my creative attempts by saying, “Stop it. You’re just a mediocre piano player or a mediocre poet or accordion player (two of my other life enrichments).” But I found out that the etymological roots of mediocre are this: “medi” means half-way up and “ocre” means the jagged mountain. When I read that I was relieved. I have never been a perfectionist. But as a human, I would compare my efforts to others and sometimes that would stop me from enjoying what it is I could do. I was freed up to know that I was climbing up a jagged mountain and even though I only made it half-way, the view from there was good. I am satisfied and my life is richer because I have activities and interests outside of the TV or my cell phone that give me pleasure and a reason to live and share with others.
BUUF’s Quest program was instrumental in enriching my life with opportunities to try different spiritual practices in the hope I would find one or two that I could practice and enjoy. One of my favorite books I came across in the Quest program was “Everyday Spiritual Practices” edited by Scott Lawrence. The authors talk about silent retreats, gardening, parenting, physical movement, meditation, reading, music, volunteering and service. These are just a few of the articles by various authors who give a beautiful commentary in praise of living a life that is blessed and that can bless others. The next time you feel that your life is lacking or not so interesting, consider Mikey. Try something. You might like it and you don’t have to be a prodigy to have a full and joyous life. The view from halfway up the jagged mountain can actually be quite beautiful and satisfying.
