Behind You Another Runner Is Born

It doesn't matter what you do in this life, you'll find that no matter how indispensable you think you are there is always someone who can take your place. And there's always someone who can do it better, whether you're talking about your job, your spot on the bowling team or your prowess in the bedroom. It's a bitter lesson to learn if you're someone who's not used to disappointment. A lesson that I've learned from watching events unfold involving other people, and a few times when it's happened to me. My last job, for example, was one such experience. I've been told all my life that I'm an excellent worker, so when I became frustrated with that job and decided to quit after eight years I guess I had expected my employer to try to talk me into staying. I was called into the C.E.O.'s office and briefly asked why I was leaving, then asked who I thought would fit in my job when I left. The lack of disappointment on his part at my leaving stung just a little, for I guess I was hoping that he'd try to work things out, since I was supposedly such a valuable associate. But, I was replaced and life went on.
One of the few situations where someone is really irreplaceable is in the parent/child relationship. Of course there are exceptions to this, but for most people the loss of a parent or child has a life-altering affect which cannot be compensated for by replacing that person with someone else.
As I contemplate some decisions in my life I have to keep in mind the fact that someone will always be there to take my place if I step too far out of the line.