What Matters

I feel like I spend a lot of time talking to kids--my own and those I work with--about what matters. I find myself asking,  "How much does this matter? Is this important? Is this what you're going to lose sleep over?" more often than I can count. And while feelings are certainly valid, I can't help but feel that sometimes, we just need a little perspective.

So, for what it's worth, here's what I think matters.


It doesn't matter how well you do in school.
It matters how hard you try.
If you try hard, you will likely do well.
And if you don't do well, you will know that you did your best.

It doesn't matter what you do for a living.
Hopefully you will do something you like, but what matters is that you do it honestly.
It also matters that you do it well enough to assure that you won't be living in your parents' basement when you're forty.

It doesn't matter who you know.
It matters how you treat those that you do know.
And those you don't.

It doesn't matter how many friends you have.
It matters that you appreciate the ones you do have.
And it matters that you are a true friend.

The people who treat you poorly don't matter
What matters are the ones who treat you well.

It doesn't matter what kind of car you drive, or how big your house is, or how expensive your clothes are.
It matters that you have a car to drive, and that you drive it responsibly.
It matters that you have a house to live in, and clothes to wear.
Many people don't.

It doesn't matter that your family isn't perfect.
No one's is.
It matters that they love you.
Forgive.
And love them back.

It doesn't matter if you like, agree with, or see the value in the rules set by your parents, your teachers, or your boss.
It matters that you follow them.
At least until you've had enough life experience to know which rules are meant to be broken.

It doesn't matter if you're great at what you do.
It matters that you're grateful that you have the ability to do it.

It doesn't matter if someone doesn't love you back.
It matters that you love yourself.
They didn't deserve you anyway.

It doesn't matter if life goes according to your plan
What matters is what you do when it doesn't.

It doesn't matter who thinks you're amazing
It matters that you know you are.

It doesn't matter what gifts people give you.
What matters are the gifts you already have.
And how you use them.

It doesn't matter if you make mistakes.
Mistakes are a part of life.
It matters that you try to do better, work harder, and move on.

It doesn't matter if you cry sometimes.
You wouldn't be human if you didn't.
What matters is that you don't forget how to laugh.

It doesn't matter if your life lives up to all of your expectations.
It's quite likely that it won't.
It doesn't matter if you don't have the exact life that you want.

What matters is that you live--and love--the life that you have.






Copyright 2012 Author of  The NBO Chronicles. All Rights Reserved. No reproduction without permission from author.