I saw on someone else’s blog (and I so wish I could remember whose now!) a “Wayback Wednesday” post, where they shared an entry they wrote years before in a private journal. I loved that idea so much, I think I’ll be stealing it periodically. Today’s post is spurred by a short discussion on Facebook. It reminded me of a column I wrote six and a half years ago when I was working at a newspaper. To this day, I think its still my favorite column I wrote while there.

Remember, it’s all about me
Nise’s Notes
The Marlin Democrat
January 19, 2005

I’ve decided that I don’t care what anyone else in the world wants… it’s all about me. Yes, I want everyone to bow to my wishes, because I am right all the time. If you dare go against me, I will throw a temper tantrum.

I do not like green peas. I will not eat them. I had a bad experience once. Therefore, I demand they never be served anywhere again. I want green peas out of sight and out of mind. Actually, this goes for blue peas, pink peas, orange peas, and especially purple peas.

I want to be first in line everywhere I go. When I approach, I expect everyone to step aside and allow me to the front of the line. Because after all, it’s all about me.

I no longer what to see Britney Spears as a lead story, and I want Rob Thomas voted President.

If I go into a store, and the item I want is sold out, I expect every person working in that facility to drop what they are doing and find me what I want, even if it has to be shipped in from Mars. I want it, and I want it now.

If you promised me something, I don’t care if you or someone you know is dying, I expect that promise to be kept. There is no excuse good enough.

Because after all, it’s all about me.

I want the sky to always be blue, the grass to always be green, and the highway to be clear of other drivers. I want someone else to pay all my debts. I want my truck always to shine and have a full tank of gas. I want to know how to transport myself hundred of miles in a second. I don’t want the phone to ring during lunch. I want perfect health while I eat junk food all day. And, while I am at it, if anything goes wrong, I want someone else to blame.

Remember. It’s all about me.

It’s all about me. That is the mindset of much of the world today. People don’t care about anything except how they themselves can be benefited by something. How can I use the system so that I come out at the top of the heap. They care not for who they step on to get there. They don’t care that maybe losing one battle can mean winning the entire war. No, it’s all about winning and being first. It’s all about how everyone else must bow down to their wishes.

I run into it day in and day out. Inevitably, somewhere, somehow I will run into an imovable force in which the whole world must bow down to them and their wishes. Once in awhile, I know I’m like that. I admit it.

This is an eat or be eaten world. However, there is also a time and a place to be that way. Pick your battles carefully. Choose your weapons with even more care.

Don’t think the entire world is against you. It really isn’t all about you. Everyone is just trying to get through their own lives. If we’d all respect that and help each other out even a little bit, everyone will be more tolerant to things like the fact that you like multicolored peas with ketchup.

Patience. Compromise. Just a little bit of common sense. All of these things are lacking in the world today. It’s all about me, me, me. What do I get from this? What can you do for me? It’s not my fault. I should get credit for that.

The world is not all about one person, and throwing a temper tantrum when you don’t get what you want makes you look bad. Here’s an idea: grow up and smell the truth. It’s not all about you.

Because, after all, its all about me.