Every path has its puddle. English proverb
For the world at large the lovely pathways are not just tempting and alluring but are an invitation to explore the yonder. Amidst this tranquility most unexpectedly we come across a puddle and we are in a quandary as to how to get across without wetting our footwear or getting splashed upon. If we are just taking a leisurely walk, the puddle might be insignificant but if the path is the one we are taking for a serious business appointment the puddle can mess up more than just ones shoes.
If you look back at your childhood, the thought of the rainy season will bring us fond memories of the numerous puddles that we delighted in jumping in without a care in the world. No doubt there were times when the fear of parental reprimand would cross our minds but in the child like exuberance we just let the puddle absorb our attention and blanked our mind of the consequences. While dad would be furious at the soggy shoes and socks and mud splattered books and bags, mum would be focused on whether we would fall sick and get fever. The scolding and stern warnings rarely deterred us from jumping in headlong into the next puddle simply because the thrill of playing in the water, splashing around and enjoying the mess was too alluring to avoid.
With childhood gone in a jiffy and adulthood suddenly overtaking us responsibility weighs heavily on us. The carefree days are long past, we are acutely aware of the business of life and the rains are now more of a nuisance than pure unadulterated fun. Now the pathways suddenly seem to stretch, the cool shades of the trees lining it seem to be more somber and dull and the unexpected puddle now seem like a chasm too wide and threatening. The change is not in the environment but in us; the mindset that one never feared is no longer carefree and the onus of the future seems to weigh us down. The puddles are obstacles, they are messy and we hate the thought of finding a way to sidestep it.
If we just let the child in us take over our lives occasionally, we would enjoy not just the puddles but life itself. We would suddenly realize that life is actually a lovely pathway, lined with wonderful flowers, leading us on to the most amazing scenery where surprises await us with open arms and the occasional puddles are best enjoyed by jumping in and not gingerly side stepping it. Go on and tread the paths you have never used and look around and enjoy the scenery, smell the flowers, step on to some bird droppings and fall down for then you will get to smell the mud and the puddles will help you clean up.
Remember: “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that things are difficult.” Seneca
Try these:
- Read any of the numerous books on the life of the great American educationist George Washington Carver. It is an inspiring story about the hurdles that he overcame right from his birth to his adulthood and old age. It will provide you inspiration and motivation to realize that hurdles are simply to be overcome and no one can stop you from attaining your goals.
- Make a firm resolve that from today onwards you will attempt to tackle at least one of your pet peeves or disliked tasks first thing before you begin your day. E.g. Tackling paperwork which you dislike or replying to emails / correspondence conveying negative or bad news or spending time on planning the day etc. The trick is to focus on those tasks that you postpone for the last and attempt it first so that your mind is more relaxed and your attention is fully on the other tasks on hand.
This post is courtesy www.actspot.com
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