Delayed Gratifacation
This is the 3rd day camping. It rained all day yesterday. Most of the day was spent sitting around the picnic table under the tarp Rick had bought that Billie said was unnecessary. Thanks Rick for not listening. There was also shopping, napping and reading a lot
. The rain cleared at 8:00pm and everyone sat at the camp fire till bed.
. The rain cleared at 8:00pm and everyone sat at the camp fire till bed. Today we got up and loaded up everything and went to the beach for the day. Doug got up early and went to the state park to save us a spot. Let the fun begin.
Today I am reading THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED; this section is about Delaying Gratification. This thought is for those that procrastinate in life, work and pleasure. Those that procrastinate tend to do the fun, the easy. tasks before the hard and so the hard stuff never gets done. Seems like they learned that from the beginning.
Delaying gratification is a process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such way as to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and getting it over with. It is a process of scheduling.
The example Peck gives is that most of the time we spend the first part of the day doing what we want so we never get to the hard. We don’t want to do the hard. So if we do the hard the first hour, then we can spend the rest doing the easy, fun, enjoyable tasks. Kind of like what I do every day. I spend time doing my readings for spiritual growth and learning first. That is what I journal. Then I pick up my novel and read for fun, no brainer stuff. My normal routine is to exercise, do my
readings & journaling first and then I participate in the life of the day. If I don’t the things I really want to do, need to do, doesn’t ever happen.
Then Peck talks of The Sins of the Father. If a child sees his parents day in and day out behaving with self-discipline, restraint, diligent and a capacity to order their own lives, the the child wall come to feel in the deepest fibers that this is the way to live. If a child sees his parents day in and day out living without self-restraint or self-discipline, then he will come in the deepest fibers of being to believe that that is the way to live.
There is nothing more important then role modeling love. When we love something it is of value to us, and when something is of value to us we spend time with it, time enjoying it and time taking care of it. Good discipline requires time.
The quality of discipline afforded by loving parents is superior to the discipline of unloving parents. Children perceive it when parents are willing to suffer with them. and although they may not respond with immediate gratitude, they will also learn to suffer. “If my parents are willing to suffer, then suffering must not be so bad, and I should be willing to suffer with myself.” Self discipline is self-caring. To feel valued is essential to mental health and is a cornerstone of self discipline. This is the beginning of self-discipline.
I am beginning beginning to see as I read this book why Linda was reading it. This is full of great nuggets of truth. I am looking forward to the rest of it. I would love to have you read it with me.