People of the kowtow

There are those among us who wish to fly. They bide their time until their flight feathers grow in, and then they take off. They live their life on their own terms. They make their life what they want it to be. I don't think this is a selfish way to live.

There are those among us who think too much of what others think of them. These people do what they think will make the other person happy. These people, lets call them the "kowtow".. defer to those others who's will it is they wish to make happy. Don't worry, they will forget about what they want.. for a short while.. a year or two maybe. Then their desire to do what they wanted will resurface and they will have the same inner conflicts again.

Suppress the feelings again.. and they surface again. It makes them angry doesn't it? It makes them resentful also. It is a vicious circle. It can bring up years of memories of things NOT DONE because someone- someone who's opinion they valued- said NO. One little word. One look. One time too many where a dream- no matter how stupid sounding at the time, no matter how shallow or superficial it may have been, got squelched.

When you are a kowtow person the WHY takes second place to the individual they are trying to please. When will we learn to make choices that will please and enrich our own lives instead of always trying to please and enrich someone else's?