A Voice Unheard- Part I: Prose

Limitations? Or Merely Guidelines?

A lot of people speak about pushing the limits and really just going all out all the time. They speak of not letting things bog you down or being defined in any way.....Somehow all of that doesn't sound completely logical to me. I mean our limitations or our definitions are somewhat similar to rules. They're not really meant to tie us down.... they're just meant to tell us what we can and cannot do. And sometimes it's good to know you can't do something....This way you won't overdo it. We all have a saturation point and I think it would be good to listen to our hearts in this regard so that we don't create problems for ourselves by our overzealous natures.

I am talking from a purely physical perspective. Sometimes our minds forget the limitations that our bodies present us with. I am not saying that we should completely succumb to every pain and ache we face. But I do think it is important to listen to our bodies.... because when we don't we risk doing irreparable damage to our bodies (and sometimes the damage is even fatal). I think we were all born with a fixed capacity and we should stick to that and not cause harm to ourselves. "Men must know their limitations" said the great Hollywood Director and Actor, Clint Eastwood. I couldn't agree with him more. Knowing and accepting your weaknesses, and limitations is not a sign of weakness itself. Or a sign of giving up, as some people would consider it. It is merely an act of admitting to yourself (first and foremost) that you SHOULD NOT (not cannot - you can do those things it is just that it is better not to. For your own wellbeing) do certain activities as they go beyond your capacity.

Once you recognize these limitations, how you make these limitations WORK for you and your life and make yourself a success is what counts. Every one of us is limited. Using our limitations as excuses is the real sin. Not having the limitations/weakness. The Actor, Kevin Costner puts it very well - "If you don't understand your limitations you won't achieve much in your life." You need to know what you can and cannot do. You need to know your saturation point and what's most important is you absolutely MUST LISTEN and remember that point. These limitations that we are all born with should not define us as weak. They should just be the circumstances that we must work with to reach our individual successes. I like what Stephen Hawking once said, which just further exemplifies the need to accept the fact that you have limitations and then try your hardest to make it work for you: "Obviously, because of my disability, I need assistance. But I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have traveled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity." Work within your limitations. Don't deny their existence.