Printed in the Conscious Creation Journal
February 2001
It’s Just Business, Isn’t It?
by Jack Rabbit
The other day I was having a conversation with a good friend of mine. He was telling me about recent business dealings he had been having with a long time business partner. He was very frustrated with the way his partner had been behaving in these dealings. They had grown up together and he liked to think of him as a close friend. I ask him if he had discussed his feelings with his partner and voiced his frustrations since he had a “good” relationship with him. He then made the following statement to me; “I make it a point to not discuss business and friendship at the same time.” This got me started thinking about this issue. How many times has business been the first consideration and the human beings involved considered as second?
In my past, I would not hesitate to relocate a family, terminate someone or get down and dirty as needed to win the sale or bring more money to the bottom line. In short, I was the epitome of “efficient”, non-personal business management. I can not begin to list the things I have done in the name of “ it’s just business.” The worst part is knowing I was in no way unique in this. There are sooo many people very similar to my former self it is absolutely terrifying. As I contemplated this issue, I began to have random thoughts about my own family and their views on this subject. Can you believe, I was considered as the son who was living life as it should be? My family was constantly congratulating me for being sooo successful. At the same time, they were evermore berating my brother for not being as stable, successful or “aggressive” as me! Here was my brother, moving through his life with more grace than I could even begin to contemplate at the time. But, yet there he was, the proverbial black sheep. You know the type. He changes jobs fairly regularly but always seems to get by. He goes fishing on a more than regular basis and enjoys every moment of it. He has more children than the rest of the family feels like he can afford. Yet, he obviously loves them dearly and they certainly appear to eat very well. He is a big man with a big heart but he just doesn’t play the “game” according to my family’s acceptable rules and procedures. In short, he lives life to its’ fullest in each and every moment and just drives the rest of my family nuts.
As a society when did it become acceptable to be a “machine” versus a living Human Being? I was the example many unenlightened people would use to make the point, “Look at Jack, he drives a nice car, lives in a large home, and takes vacations anytime he wants.” You should be more like him. The funny thing is, they never mentioned I was working 70-80 hours per week, taking enough stomach medication to keep a small pharmacy going, physically ill constantly and had no idea of the harm I was causing to myself and the environment around me. I caution you, please do not misinterpret what I am saying. Money and material things are neither good nor evil. They are just tools to be used as each of us see fit. If we make them all-important, then that is exactly what they will become. Rest assured, I have a considerable amount of “wants” and “things” which I like and enjoy; my computer, color television, a good steak now and again, etc… But, I am humble in my realization that I do not “need” any of them. There is nothing wrong with owning and enjoying nice “things”. Just know them for what they are, and do not let them dominate your thoughts if they were to suddenly disappear from your life. I have learned to be very wary of individuals who place a lot of “value” into inanimate objects. I find it difficult to find common ground with an individual who places more value on some “machine” than on the Human Being who “owns”, built or operates it.
I no longer use the expression it is just business. I no longer separate the human beings from the business dealings I take part in. This is not to say, I do not occasionally find myself in a situation where I am not very comfortable doing what is necessary to provide for my family. But, I do so now very conscious of the “wake” I leave behind as I move through the waters of life. I place a considerable amount of thought into a much broader range of topics before I make changes in my current business. Anytime I can be of true benefit to a Human Being, conducting business is much more friendly transaction. I still have many instances when I disagree with someone else’s viewpoint. I just have the insight to know it is perfectly acceptable for each to be correct from the others point of view. I have yet to meet a person whom I have not been able to learn something about myself from. Most of what we really think we see in others is just a reflection of ourselves. Next time you find yourself in a disagreement with someone on an issue ask yourself, “Why am I holding onto my particular point of view so strongly?” You may just find that you do not have a good answer. If you do, then you have nothing to fear. Either way you are the only person you really have to answer to.
Believe it or not, I still hold the same position with the same company that I had back when all of this started. But, I have made a few “adjustments” in my life. I hardly ever work more than 45-50 hours per week and I have made the necessary “sacrifices” to spend real quality time with my family and the few close friends I have. In my work place, I take the time to really listen to my coworkers on issues, which may affect them. On a more personal note, I also take just little time now and again for my SELF. Since making these changes, I have not taken medication for anything in over a year and I have learned to pay attention to my environment and make the “conscious” effort to improve it. As for my brother, I would like to let you all in on a little secret. I make it a point to pay much closer attention to him these days. I have learned much more from him than anyone in my family ever thought he could teach.
Jack Rabbit
©2001, Jack Rabbit. All Rights Reserved. Printed in the Conscious Creation Journal. (Feel free to duplicate this article for personal use – please include this copyright notice and the URL.) http://www.consciouscreation.com