Garden of the Gods

There are so many places in Colorado I like to visit, but the Garden of the Gods is one of my favorites. From the feeling of the air on my skin to the majestic views, it is truly an invigorating “garden”. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed a garden as much as the Garden of the Gods.

However, I can’t help but think that the gods took the easy way out when displaying their gardening skills. It’s as if they thought, “we don’t have a green thumb so let’s take these rocks and call it a garden.”

Then I think about how we compare what we do to the achievements of others.

Comparison can be a motivator for excellence; yet, all too often, comparison becomes a barrier to achievement.

Rather than allowing the greatness we see and experience to inspire us to be the best we can be, we allow the thought “I could never do that” to creep into our mind.

• We read the words of authors and get convinced that our words don’t compare.
• We hear about someone’s life experiences and feel that ours are inadequate.
• Relationships, skills, etc. get compared over and over, and get convinced that none of it compares to those same things belonging to another.

Frequently, I hear people ask other people to compare restaurants, artwork, music, and even movies. The common phrase I hear is “you can’t compare apples and oranges.” We feel that so many things are incomparable because they are different. 

I can buy that statement. I agree with that idea. What I don’t understand is why we don’t use that same thought when we are faced with comparing ourselves and our accomplishments to that of others.

We are unique. We are all different. However, when it comes to how we look, what we create, and what we accomplish we compare apples to oranges. We compare unique-selves to other unique-selves, and it’s ridiculous.

What if we just looked in the mirror and just recognized the beauty looking back? What if we just designed and created our best work and chose to see it as such? What if we chose to not compare who we are and what we do to others because, as the saying goes, “you can’t compare apples to oranges?”

I keep thinking about the Garden of the Gods. It’s a garden of rocks. Rocks! It’s as if the gods thought, “we’re going to do our thing regardless of what other people are doing.” 

What we do doesn’t compare to anyone else, and I don’t know if it should. Do your thing. Innovate. Create. Do your best work. Be the best that you can be. Create a garden of rocks  - in a world that creates gardens with flowers - and make it as amazing as you can make it.

Who you are and what you do does not compare to anyone else, and it shouldn’t. You are you, and there is nothing better than that.

[I would love to hear your comments and thoughts about this post. Use the comment section below or click here to tell your story.]