Already Know - Tuesday, November 2011

There are some things in life we already know, maybe even know a lot about, and yet at times we live in contradiction to our knowledge and experience.  Sometimes our choices may even be a bit reckless or careless, when compared to what we know to be true.

Pulling into my parking place at work this morning, I observed a woman taking a healthy brisk walk.  There she was getting her regular exercise, and I admit I felt a bit guilty as I watched her commitment to the brisk walking workout and wishing I was more faithful about 45 minutes of exercise 5 days a week!  I already know that I would be healthier and happier and more effective if I could make that routine stick!  I already know how to live better than I do!

But, then comes the “oh my word”!  There she was walking up a storm, pumping her left arm with vigor, and up comes her right hand and in it a lighted cigarette.  Then to her mouth goes the cigarette!  Oh my word, what an irony!  She was out for a  healthy workout while smoking a cigarette?  I know I already know how to live better than I do, but what is that?  Working out while smoking?
                                                 
My dad has a great joke he tells about the farmer who answers the door to an encyclopedia salesman.  The farmer declines the purchase of encyclopedias that includes a great collection of books about how to be the world’s best farmer.  When the salesman assures the farmer that he can be the world’s best farmer with the knowledge that comes in these books, the farmer again declines the books and shares: “I don’t need them; I already know how to be a better farmer than I am!”

I think that is true for many of us; we already know how to be better than we are.

So, today I am going to look and watch and attack something - something I already know and know how to be better at than I am currently am!   Because, don’t we already know how to be better than we are?