IT'S HARD TO BE HUMBLE WHEN I'M THE BEST ME

As I contemplated my navel this morning (actually I was shaving and looking in the bathroom mirror), for some reason or other I wondered how it would feel to know that I was the world's best at something -- anything.  I really do not know who decides such things other than media commentators or, in some cases, the Guinness World Book of Records; but the title "World's Best" must carry with it a hauntingly mixed bag of emotions such as pride, satisfaction, pressure to maintain excellence, inevitability of someone in the wings poised to overtake you and the stress of meeting public expectations.

I have often thought that it would be nice to just once be "the best" at something -- a writer (Ernest Hemingway), an actor (Clark Gable), an athlete (Joe DiMaggio) or a singer (Frank Sinatra).  Oh I know, being the best is not always what it is cracked up to be and that it is lonely being at the top, but wouldn't it be comforting to just for a day look down at those on the bottom?  When you are the world's best, I'm sure that it is hard to be humble but golly, given periodic states of smugness, I'm sure that I would be up to the task.

I think that we all have had times when we fantasized about excelling at something and for many of us, that may be a good thing in that it can serve as motivation to keep striving to be the best that we can be.  Some wise "unkownymous" once said it best:  "Why compare yourself with others?  No one in the entire world can do a better job of being yourself than you."

You can take all the Ernest Hemingways, Clark Gables, Joe DiMaggios and Frank Sinatras in the world, but none of them can be a better Dick Wright.  God gave me a corner on the market.

Now finally, I realize that there is something I can be very good at, maybe even the best in the world.  If there is anyone out there who can be a better me than me, let he/she step forward.  I dare you!

As far as I am concerned, even with all my warts, wrinkles and borderline abilities, I am the supreme me.

Now that I think about it, it feels kind of good up here too, looking down as I do.  One problem though.  I don't see any other me's down there.  Guess that makes me unique -- and it doesn't get any better than that!.