Musings at Altitude

I love “the speech” from The American President, when President Shepherd says, “Let’s see you acknowledge a man who makes your blood boil who’s standing center stage advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.” 

That sounds like just a bit more than a debate, but it’s what I want to talk about today. 

I’m by nature a guy that thinks he knows the right path and best plan for most of the stops I see on the journey ahead.  Unfortunately, those that live with me, work with me or otherwise know me, quite often have very different ideas of what that “right path” and “best plan” are.  Typically, that then leads to a debate.  But it’s not really a debate, because (1) I suck at debate, and (2) my version of “right” and “best” are rarely right and best!  So the active and escalating verbal confrontation that follows any of my proclamations (that indicate some certainty of right path and best plan) more often than not de-escalate quickly as any argument  I might have fizzles to a screeching and merciful halt.  The others then claim victory in some form or fashion, and they scurry away feeling like a champion while I saunter away knowing I’ve been conquered once again. 

The sad thing is that I’ve known without a shadow of a doubt that I was dead on right, AND I WAS WRONG! 

How in the world does that happen?  The good news is that I keep on believing that I’m right, so I haven’t lost any confidence as I enter these debates.  The better news is that others keep challenging me so my wrongness is quickly corrected and the rightness of both path and plan are assured. 

The fact that I’m wrong so often actually helps me in so many ways:  

   (1) It forces me to be much more humbler than I’d otherwise be; how can you be arrogant when you’re wrong all the time?  

   (2) It requires me to pause and think the minute the counter attack ensues; unfortunately, it doesn’t cause me to pause and think before I ever spew in the first place  

   (3) It allows me to stand in awe of the geniuses that debate me; after all, how did they get so smart and God leave me so lacking in he smarts category?  

   (4) It gives me the chance to be right every now and then, mostly when no one else is around to tell me I’m wrong!

So I’m going to keep “debating” and probably keep losing.

But I’ll win more the older I get.

I know I will.

I’m certain of it.

As certain as I am every other time I’m wrong!