There is always going to be that little asshole who gets his dad to help him build the magnificent volcano to win the science fair.
I always waited until the last minute to do my science project. One time I decided to take one piece of black construction paper, one piece of white construction paper, and two thermometers, set them in the sun and record the different temperatures on each sheet of paper, thus proving that dark colors attracted more heat and light colors reflected them. The end result was boredom and a bunch of made-up data. Basically, I just cheated my way through the project. This was nothing new.
I went to school and watched Jimmy win the stupid science fair. I pointed out that the reason that he had won was because his dad helped him. I complained that he won an art competition, not a science fair (everybody knows how to make the lava stuff percolate). I griped that it was unfair. I boasted that I could have done the same thing if I had really tried.
It turns out that the science fair isn’t necessarily all about science- it’s about work ethic, deadlines, creativity, and learning to ask for help. Little league sports aren’t necessarily about becoming professional athletes- they are about teamwork, learning to win with humility, lose with dignity, understanding what it’s like to get a public ass-chewing, and putting in work. College isn’t necessarily about being educated in your field- it’s more about learning to absorb knowledge, implementing time management, learning to perform under pressure, mastering the art of winging it, and learning that your future will never go exactly as planned.
The next time I ask myself, “What’s the point?” I need to remember that it’s not always about the point, it’s about the work. If I do the work, I will learn a lesson.
The point is to keep learning.
Peace, Love, and all things Beef related,
Beefcake