new thread
I drive a truck and usually have very little time to post here, but I do enjoy posting when I can.
I have driven a truck all of my adult life and I have been married most of that time. During those 20, or so years, I have tried to please everyone by trying to look, act and live the way that I thought other people wanted me to. Well, I can tell you, if you want other people to live your life for you they will in a heartbeat, however, if you look back and say “hey, this isn’t the life that I wanted to live”, they will tell you, “well, it was your life, you should have lived it the way that you wanted to”. Right! Too little too late! What I am saying is “it is your life”. If you want long hair then by all means have it and if some people don’t approve of it then you don’t need those people in your life. The truth is, you will never be able to please those people as they will always find some fault within you . Many of those people are unhappy with their own lives, believe me, I know. Remember, misery loves company. Don’t wait until the end of your life to realize what I am saying, especially for the young people here. Life is too short. This philosophy doesn’t only include long hair, but a multitude of things. I guess the reason that I say all this is that I know there are some here that are under pressure to cut their hair in order to please someone else. My suggestion is “don’t do it”, because it won’t stop with the hair. Ask yourself, what are they giving up? Probably nothing.
amen to that. I realized that the things you said are true about lots of other things, such as highschool. too many people strive to please other people by doing things to impress them but in doing so they forget to please themselves. kind of a bad example, but you get what i mean:P.
...it is also important to remeber that IF, at any point, having long hair makes the person UNhappy, then it's time to reconsider the decision to have hair long.
If a man wants long hair and it makes him happy to grow his
hair long, then he should try to ignore those who would try to change his mind.
This is, of course, easier said than done. When friends--and especially family--turn
against you, well, it's
probably one of the worst situations to be in--especially when they are cruel about it.
It's a struggle for a lot of people to think for themselves and believe and act how they truly want. Sadly, a lot of people don't seem to care at all that they are in almost complete control of those around them.
Personally, long hair has not been too tough of an issue, but sometimes I feel my dress or attitudes towards things (movies, music, art, etc.) influnced by people around me. Just over a year ago, I left a religious cult (I was only a member for a brief time and it wasn't a crazy suicide cult or anything, but it still affected me quite a bit) and I have been concentrating making sure that I am being myself every day.
Growing long hair does not necissarily mean you are acting on your own accord, but if you're truly a long hair, GROW IT! If you're truly a short hair: CUT IT! It's your body, do what YOU want!
Incredibly wise post. I wish more people would realize what you said is so true. :) We can't please everyone in life... don't even try. If the people in our lives can't accept us for who we are, those people aren't even worth talking to. And everyone here needs to remember this- there is no 'normal' life, there's just life. And you get on with it.
It makes me so happy to see that you have hit upon this realization and stated it so well. I, myself, finally, was very slow in getting to that point, but when I did, I was so glad to have reached it, knowing as I did that I could just say, "to heck with all you mo-fos trying to tell ME what to do!"
As someone who didn't grow my own hair truly looooong until reaching my 40th birthday, I know EXACTLY what you mean by trying too hard to please others, rather than myself!
Thanks so much for the insightful statements... They most definitely speak the truth!!
- Ken in San Francisco