BE WILLING TO LET THE ADVENTURE CHANGE YOU
Everyone thinks of changing the world, But no one thinks of changing himself.
- Leo Tolstoy
On your grand adventure that is life, once you JUMP IN to the opportunity and allow yourself to GET UNCOMFORTABLE, it is imperative that you allow the adventure to CHANGE YOU!! Tolstoy lamented that everyone wants to change the world but we don't see the need to change ourselves. The truth is that we can only change the world when we change ourselves and grow into what we were meant to be. I believe a life well lived requires us to continuously change. Every experience gives us the opportunity to grow. To learn more about ourselves. To understand the weaknesses and strengths that we have and use that knowledge to become stronger.
This past Saturday I went for a long run while Pearson was at soccer. I ran through Jenks and along the river trail. As I came around a corner nearing my destination I was glancing into the trees in the distance. I noticed 3 long vines hanging from a tree off the side of the trail. They were interesting immediately because they were close together and lined up perfectly. They were fairly close together hanging from the tallest limbs on a tree. As I ran by I had visions of Tarzan swinging from jungle vines. I could picture myself swinging from vine to vine soaring through the trees.
Now I do have some experience swinging from vines. When my kids were younger we lived in a house that sat right next to a little creek. The creek never had much water but always just carried a small trickle of rainwater runoff. During the rainy times the creek bed swells and surges by just behind the house. The house had a porch that wrapped all the way around. Just off the back edge of the porch you could step down and walk a few short steps into the creek bed. At this spot there was a large rock you could stand on and survey the kingdom of the creek. We spent countless hours playing in that creek. There was one particular day when I noticed a long vine hanging from a tree that stood guard over the creek. I saw the opportunity to show my kids how to swing from a vine like Tarzan. The thing is, I had no experience swinging from a vine. Now I knew that when you jump off a cliff into water, always check the depth first. But I never thought of checking the vine to see if it was actually stronger enough to hold me.
That sunny summer afternoon I jumped up on the large rock and grabbed the vine. I leaned back as far as I could to build energy and then with reckless abandon I pulled up my feet and I was flying. Soaring momentarily through the sky like Icarus, reveling in the glorious feeling of flight. But like Icarus, I flew too close to the sun. My wings did not melt but the vine let out a loud crack and suddenly, without warning, the arc of my flight changed and I was speeding toward the earth. My landing spot was a large flat rock with absolutely no water covering it. I met the rock directly on my back and every ounce of oxygen in my lungs was expelled from my body as was every drop of pride. I struggled to find breath as I saw my kids yelling and running to the house, leaving me in the creek bed to survive on my own. I was not seriously injured that day but it has become a topic of stories on many occasions. And as with most of my stories, it gets grander as the years tick by.
I learned a few things that day. For one I learned that if it's up my kids to save me I am in deep trouble. I learned that when you desire to soar from a vine you should always check the vine first. This comes down to the importance of preparation. This has served me well in many ways in my life. It is how we respond to the adventure that brings us closer to our potential.
As I ran by those vines that morning, it caused me to think of the physics involved in the ability to swing from vines. It is not difficult to swing on a rope or a vine but to progress through the trees is something all together different. Once you swing the arc of the vine and come into contact with the next vine, that vine would be hanging straight down and if you grab it and let go of the first vine you would have no momentum. You may swing slightly but you would make no forward progress once you release the first vine.
I built a picture in my mind and calculated that the only way you could move forward would be if as you grabbed the second vine you still held on to the first. Then you could allow the first vine to swing you back as you held tight to the second vine. Once the vine had brought you back somewhat, you could release the first and progress forward while holding the second vine. Then repeat this process as you flew through the trees. Now you might be saying why is he talking about swinging through the trees. It's about allowing the adventure to change you.
As we swing through the jungles of our life we live one adventure after another. Each adventure is unique. We learn from each experience. But how sad would it be if we never learned from any experience. If we never changed who we were as time went on. I am better today than I was yesterday. And I plan on being better tomorrow than I am today. We will only grow when we allow the adventure to change us.
Like hanging on to the first vine creates momentum for the next, each adventure builds momentum for the next. I want to hang onto every experience long enough to make sure it creates momentum to push me farther. I want to learn from the good and the bad. To create potential energy to drive me to new heights. New heights that I long to reach.
Each step should be a chance to allow the adventure to change us. To make reaching our potential a reality. I want to be better every day. To be my B.E.S.T, I want to be Better Every Step Taken! I want the opportunities that I jump into to change me! I don't want to just pass time and never change.
It is through this process of change and growth that we must KEEP THE MOMENTUM! It is easy at times to light the flame and allow your passion to burn. But in times of trial or times of discontent, how do we continue to grow? This is such a critical point. How do we keep the MOMENTUM!
Tomorrow I will leave you with a challenge. Read tomorrow to see if you can accept the challenge to...
BE THE 1...
THAT DOES THE 1 THING!!!
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