“Glenn, you’re afraid of outgrowing these other people.”
Ouch. My mentor was right.
I quibble with the word “outgrow” because it’s more accurate to say that I need to be comfortable growing in ways they’re not. I’m going to read the Bible, Homer, Shakespeare, Cicero, Seneca, and Aristotle, and be content that my only answer to music trivia will be guesses of “Beyonce” or “Taylor Swift.” I’m not reading the most popular novels on some list. I’m not superior at all. I’m just following my growth calling.
It’s harder to give up accommodating immature people by being nice. Courteous, yes. Respectful, yes. But not telling them (by words or by silence) that they’re fine the way they are, and the world is especially mean to them, and they’re victims of the vague BAD MAN that tries to bring them down, and they deserve ‘whatever.’ No.
