Set Sail
I remember when my oldest daughter decided to try out for the color guard. Color guard is the activity where groups toss flags, wooden rifles and knives (called sabers) to the rhythm of music. Not only was she starting 8th grade in a new neighborhood where she had relatively few friends, at that point in her life, she had never tossed a ball let alone a flag.
She tried out and made the team in spite of her inexperience. As it turned out, she was granted a solo in her first season. In her freshman year, she continued with guard and accomplished a feat no freshman had before her - she made it on the varsity guard where she did well.
Learning and growing can terrify even the bravest of us. As we reach new levels in life, we leave our comfort zone and enter into uncharted territory. When we find ourselves in those spaces we always have a choice - plow ahead or retreat.
If we retreat, we return from the cruel universe of the unknown to the safety of the world we know. Faces, places and spaces are familiar, seldom do we encounter unsurmountable obstacles and the occasional setback takes little effort to remedy. We may not achieve as much but at the same time, we don't have all that much to lose either.
To walk the sands of the unknown means is to purposely set our feet on unsettled ground. Our path may feel non-existent or hidden from view. When we face new challenges, every proposed solution is paired with a risk we're not sure we should take - how do you know what you don't know? Apprehension builds with every step; for the sweat equity we invest today may not lead to an expedient payoff. Much is at stake should we fail - pride, status, our way of life - but once we've taken enough steps forward, turning back becomes a less alluring option.
Knowing that we have a destiny awaiting us makes it difficult to settle for a settled existence. If you believe you have an assignment to do great things (hint: we all do), then the choice is made. Believe that your paradise awaits at the end of your journey. Work hard to achieve your goals and be dedicated to your dream.
She tried out and made the team in spite of her inexperience. As it turned out, she was granted a solo in her first season. In her freshman year, she continued with guard and accomplished a feat no freshman had before her - she made it on the varsity guard where she did well.
Today's Inspiration
In Order to Explore Oceans, We Must Lose Sight of the Shore
Learning and growing can terrify even the bravest of us. As we reach new levels in life, we leave our comfort zone and enter into uncharted territory. When we find ourselves in those spaces we always have a choice - plow ahead or retreat.
If we retreat, we return from the cruel universe of the unknown to the safety of the world we know. Faces, places and spaces are familiar, seldom do we encounter unsurmountable obstacles and the occasional setback takes little effort to remedy. We may not achieve as much but at the same time, we don't have all that much to lose either.
To walk the sands of the unknown means is to purposely set our feet on unsettled ground. Our path may feel non-existent or hidden from view. When we face new challenges, every proposed solution is paired with a risk we're not sure we should take - how do you know what you don't know? Apprehension builds with every step; for the sweat equity we invest today may not lead to an expedient payoff. Much is at stake should we fail - pride, status, our way of life - but once we've taken enough steps forward, turning back becomes a less alluring option.
Knowing that we have a destiny awaiting us makes it difficult to settle for a settled existence. If you believe you have an assignment to do great things (hint: we all do), then the choice is made. Believe that your paradise awaits at the end of your journey. Work hard to achieve your goals and be dedicated to your dream.
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