Lepas?

Burungnya Lepas

 

Kisah nyata ini dialami oleh Jon Koplo, guru salah satu SMK di Solo yang letaknya tidak jauh dari pasar burung Depok. Jon Koplo termasuk guru yang “killer”, apalagi mata pelajaran yang diampunya adalah Matematika yang dianggap sulit oleh sebagian besar muridnya.
Pagi itu semua murid  sudah siap untuk menghadapi ulangan. Begitu Jon Koplo masuk kelas lengkap dengan wajah angkernya, semua murid mak klakep, diam. Setelah mengucap salam dan mengajak muridnya berdoa, ulangan pun dimulai.
Suasana hening. Semua murid berkonsentrasi pada soal ulangan yang membuat dahi berkerut. Sementara itu pandangan Jon Koplo diarahkan ke seluruh sudut kelas. Sesekali ia mengawasi tangan muridnya yang berada di bawah meja.
Ketika ulangan baru berjalan beberapa menit, tiba-tiba Tom Gembus, salah satu biang kerok di kelas tersebut, berteriak sambil menunjuk ke arah Jon Koplo, “Burungnya lepas, Pak!”
Mendengar teriakan itu dan melihat Tom Gembus menunjuk dirinya, secara refleks Koplo langsung memegang bagian alat vitalnya. Ia meraba resleting celananya, ternyata tidak ada masalah.
“Bukan itu, Pak, tapi memang ada burung lepas masuk kelas,” terang Gembus.
Jon Koplo baru sadar ketika melihat ternyata memang ada seekor burung yang baru saja hinggap di mejanya, kemudian terbang lagi ke luar melalui jendela. Tak urung, murid-murid yang  tak kuasa menahan tawa. Dan baru kali itulah murid-murid berani tertawa di hadapan Jon Koplo.

source : http://www.harianjogja.com/baca/2013/02/19/burungnya-lepas-380566

fresh-mind

Competitive Edge?

I really don't think of myself as competitive. Just the opposite, in fact. When I

was a kid, I remember letting my older brother win at Monopoly because I just hated the way he acted when he lost. Years ago, I made the mistake of telling my new card-shark mother-in-law that the game we were all playing was only a game. I never lived that down. And, I'm still like that. I'd rather do everything in my power to help create calm instead of focusing on winning a game myself. The peacemaker.

On the other hand, I do have some competitive nature in me. I've recognized that it pops up when I'm exercising with people I don't even know, especially if they appear older than me. When I'm walking with a friend, I've never felt the urge to go faster. It's just that watching those fit, older strangers excel makes me want to kick it up a notch. What can I say? I just hate the idea of being a slower, weaker younger person.  

For most people, any sort of competitiveness serves as a great motivator to improve fitness. That is, unless it's not. Since chronic neck issues have come my way, I've had to temper that desire to push harder. And, it's not been easy. I've been trying not to notice how fast the person next to me is going or how long they've been on the cardio-machine next to me.  I've been doing much better. I'm to only focus on what I can do and celebrate slow improvement. 

Recently, however, I've noticed that competitiveness sneaking up again. In stretch class, no less, and one filled primarily with people in their 50's and up. I love how great my body feels afterward, even those arthritic joints. But, yesterday, I peeked. I did. I have more flexibility than most, except those 2 others who were there.  I fought down the urge to press my stretches further.

Today, I shared a lane at the pool with a really nice older gal who was doing slow laps even before I got in. After swimming my doctor commanded limit of 10 minutes, I had a pang to keep going. It's probably a little, "if a she can, I can," type of thing. I got out of the pool at 11 minutes.

Perhaps it's not competitiveness per se. Maybe what I'm feeling is motivation. Either way, if I ever hit a couch potato slump, all I need to do is hang out with an active older crowd. 

What about you and your competitive edge?

source : http://mindfullmotivator.blogspot.com/