Wednesday, November 19, 2008

It's a pleasure to be abused by you...

After Stubb is kicked by Ahab, he has a dream in which a merman tells him, "You were kicked by a great man...It is an honor, I consider it an honor...Be it your boast, Stubb, that ye were kicked by old Ahab, and made a wise man of. Remember what I say; be kicked by him; account his kicks honors..."

Relate this quote to your own life--who has figuratively given you a "kick in the rear" to shape you up? Who drives you, pushes you, aggravates you, all for the purpose of helping you become a better person as a result of their intensity?

18 comments:

Mrs. Baird said...

The person that I have gotten a "kick in the rear" from is my dad. We are very close, and unlike myself, he never has any problem getting motivated. When he comes to one of my sporting events, I can always hear him cheering and yelling for me above everyone else. Hearing him makes me push myself to do better, because I don't want to disappoint him. He also pushes me in other aspects of my life, and I believe it has made me work harder and push myself, even when I don't feel like it.

Spock

Mrs. Baird said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mrs. Baird said...

The motivator in my life is my sister. She is many years older than me so sometimes she acts more as a mother than a sister. When my mom must be the one to encourage me and be sweet, she is the one who is completely blunt and honest with me, hoping that even if I become frustrated at the time, in the end I will benefit from her advice. She is not afraid to hurt my feelings and watches out for me and helps me to learn from her experiences. Unfortunately what she advises me to do are not always the things a want to do and therefore it is extremely difficult to go against my wishes. That's the real kick in the rear: having to go against your own personal desires.

--Henry

Mrs. Baird said...

My mother is the person who has given me a "kick in the rear." She actually gives them to me quite frequently and it is always related to school. Although she is my biggest cheerleader, she is also my biggest critic...aside from myself of course. She is always pushing me to do my best in school and even B's are not acceptable because she knows that I am capable of A's. Although this can sometimes be annoying I know that I wouldn't have achieved as much as I have without her. She has really shown me what I am capable of and I am really grateful that she has.

~Shamu~

Mrs. Baird said...

For the most part, I have to say that my older brother has pushed me very much. He has a way of making things seem so urgent to me that I freak out and immediately have to take action.
In addition, there was this kid-I never knew the guy- that voluntarirly became my weight trainer during the summer training for football. He just really wanted me to get in shape more than I wanted myself to. But it was fun.

-Jack Sparrow

Mrs. Baird said...

To be completely honest, while I have had well meaning people try to give me a kick in the right direction, I feel like I should be able to get my act togather on my own. It is my body, my mind, and my free will. not to meantion, some people find a need to 'mold' younger people into the person they want to be.

I suppose I am also stubborn beyond belief... though.. you know, as I person nearing adulthood, I should be able to recognize when I'm wrong and need to correct myself.

TD;LR:
I'm too stubborn for my own good and do not listen to anyone.

~Batty

Mrs. Baird said...

A time when someone I know gave me a kick in the rear and got me going was/is always with my mom and my grandma. I'm a procrastinator and I always need a push to get me to realize "Oh! I need to do this." But a major time, besided my mom and my grandma always getting on me, is with my dad. It was yesterday actually and he kept telling me that the college applications due date for OSU is December 1st and that I need to get the essay for it done asap. I realized this already but, knowing that the essay is about politics, which is not my best forte at all, I have been putting it off. So dad ended up asking if I even wanted to go to college because I'm not acting like I do want to go and I said I did and that I really have no choice and blah blah blah, so he said :Then get on it! It needs to be done, especially since OSU is one of your top choices." I felt bad in the end but, hey, at least I was a little more motivated than when I first woke up that morning. Like I always say: "you gotta do watcha gotta do." ;-D
--TheAdvocateonDeck

Mrs. Baird said...

I was kicked by a merman once, oh yeah. Back in Clevland mermaids kick people all the time. It makes me so mad I just want to bust a tuner over my head, oh yeah!
-Mike Misko

Mrs. Baird said...

I would say that my mom is the one who pushes me to be a better person. I try to do so much at once and I convince myself that I can do it. She tells me that I should say "no" more often and that I try to justify everything when I shouldn't. She keeps saying something like "I tell you not to use matches but you keep playing with fire! Then you come
back to me wanting me to put the fire out!" She told me the other day that I was pale and moody and certain things in my life were suffering because I can't do everything and be good at everything. I don't want to believe her yet I know that with the way things have been going recently, my stubborness is only a key to destroy everything I've been working for this year.

Peter Coffin

Mrs. Baird said...

Mom gives me the figurative kick in the rear almost every day. It's like she goes through a mental checklist of stuff I'm supposed to do that day, and the minute she gets home she starts asking, "Did you do this, and that, etc., etc.?" To top it off she gets mad if one thing was forgotten, even something minor, and when it's something major, like talking to a counselor of turning in a permission slip, she's furious! She's trying to teach me independence and responsibility this way...but that doesn't stop it from being annoying or humiliating.

Mrs. Baird said...

Yikes! Above comment was Essex Haunt.

Mrs. Baird said...

Although I wouldn't refer to it as "abuse", I value those that are honest and straightforward with me in all situations. I respect someone the most when they hold me accountable, especially in my faith. I need people like that in my life to keep me motivated and encouraged. It isn't always comfortable to be honest with others, but in my opinion, it is the "just" thing to do, and as a friend, one owes it to the other. My closest friends seem to be the most honest with me, (obviously) and at times it can be hurtful, or irritating, but I trust that they always have my best interest in mind. Those that beat around the bush, or do the "sugar-coating routine" don't get anywhere with their "message", and henceforth, their voice is unheard or not taken seriously. I appreciate blunt honesty, (the essence of a 'kick in the rear') even if it can be hard to swallow at times...
Pineappleisland

Mrs. Baird said...

I believe the person who has pushed me the most in my life is my coach. I've known him for many years, therefore he knows a lot about whats makes me tick. He knows my strengths and my my weaknesses. Some people just need an inspired pep talk before competition, or they need some alone time to get in the zone, but not me. I'm a nervous wreck inside. I start to doubt myself after a while and I need some strong reassurance in the form of my coach screaming at the top of his lungs at me to "move it!" Thats all I need to start heading in the right direction.

~redbirdblue

Mrs. Baird said...

The person that gives me a "kick in the rear" is my dad.
He believes that being successful in school is highly important. He has always pushed me to succeed, and it is his drive that has helped me throughout my education. He helps me get motivated, even when I don't feel like putting in all my effort. He is my drive and force that helps me reach my full potential.
- bon qui qui

Mrs. Baird said...

All in all I believe I push and aggravate myself to be better more than anyone else's influence. I thinkmy inspiriation to succeed comes from my mother.l LIke her, I've made a habit to tackle too much at one time and in the end, the results end up hurting myself by becoming too stressed. Many times my mom has commented, "You do too much. You can't be everywhere and do everything at one time!"...then I'm told to go clean my room. My other motivation is because I often ponder over the thought of "what if this was my last day on earth?" My irrational fear has driven me to try every day to give those I mgiht leave behind a memorable, good impression.

Mrs. Baird said...

I get a "kick in the rear" from both of my parents in different ways. My mother motivates me; reminds me of what I wanted, what my goals were. She refuses to let me give up. My father, on the other hand, recognizes weakness in my goals. He pushes me a lot harder. As opposed to my mother's gentle reminding, my father points out the flaws, telling me what I should have done, or should being doing. Though both different, I see the reasoning of both. I do appreciate all my parents have done ofr me.

~Queen of Babble

Mrs. Baird said...

The person who gave me a kick in the rear was the former director of our Sunday School, Dr. Meryl. Needless to say I was, and am, a huge procrastinator and when I was 13, I procrastinated too much and almost jepordized something that was a significant part of my life. After a lot of stress and threats I got my butt in gear and pulled off what I needed to do. It was definately a case of "tough love."

maskedexcitement13

Mrs. Baird said...

My instructer! He litteraly kicks me in the but. He drives me to be stronger faster and sharper than I ever though I could be. With out him I'd be a blob on the couch. Instead he gets me up at six thirty on saturdays to lift. He has pushed me physicly harder than anyone in my life ever has and I'm so greatful for that. Pain is my friend at least acording to him but I know that he really is my friend and I'm so luck to have him in my life!

-Shark Bait