Peaks and Valleys We forget that there is no growth on the mountain top. Think about it. Look at a high mountain. What is on the top? Nothing; it is barren, covered with snow and ice. Where do we find the dense growth, the vegetation, and most of the wildlife? Down in the valley. The valley often represents our daily life. We think of it as the daily drudgery. Our routine has become routine, and so in the excitement of the moment, at New Years, we make resolution to change things for the better, to accomplish more, to make a difference. In the energy of the moment on the mountain top we set ourselves up to fail! No one after all is ever really expected to keep those resolutions, right? Some only last until we pass a donut shop. Others wear thin after we get tired of fighting against the flow of our daily life. That is because we keep looking at the mountain top as if it is the place to be. In actuality, it is down in the valley where we find nourishment and opportunities to grow. Maybe we need to resolve to take our eyes off of the unattainable goals set on the mountain top and instead determine to succeed at the every day. We will try in this New Year to avoid the mistakes of the past. That is a good thing. But we will also spend time trying to avoid difficulty. That in reality is not so good. Difficulties and trials help produce in us patience, give us a reason to hope, and motivate us to seek help from others. The world does not need many more super stars or celebrities. It needs men and women committed to doing their best to make the best of whatever this New Year brings. True heroes are everyday people that accomplish extraordinary things in the midst of ordinary circumstances. They find ways to overcome limited resources, daunting deadlines, and remind us that in order to truly succeed, we must master the mundane. This New Year, don’t say “Good Riddance” to 2014. Say “Goodbye” as you would to a friend leaving on a trip to a far off place. The truth is that as we think about the good and bad times, those memories will tend to fade further and further into the background of our lives as we move forward. Then when we look back on 2015 in twelve months, we may be surprised at the growth we see deep in the valleys of our everyday lives.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 21:31:44 +0000
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