During a recent conversation, I shared my feelings with a man about the importance of maintaining 'forward' in his life. The opposite, backward, fosters feelings of discouragement and inadequacy.
Let's talk about this for a minute and let me share some of the feelings I shared with this man.
Life is set up in a 'forward' pattern. A day begins and it moves forward until it's end. The hands of a clock move forward-- first a second, then a minute, hour and finally a day. A baby is born as an infant child. Over time, that infant grows and ends up as a full-grown adult. That is the general nature of our lives. Throughout each of our lives, we learn and grown by facing the various 'up's and down's' of life. It is a purely, operated plan. It seems that the human mind digresses when times of discouragement or hardship hit, otherwise we all seem to long to move forward.
Our mindset needs to gravitate more heavily toward the 'forward' direction of life. Life's challenges are easier to face, and ultimately overcome, with the realization that to move forward will allow the conquering of them. Much will be learned because we face these obstacles, that show of what substance our character really is made.
There isn't a single person that doesn't have an 'uphill' battle.
As a young boy, the Boy Scouts of America allowed outdoor opportunities of fun and adventure. Our scout troop went to Yosemite National Park several times. The joy of hiking was thrilling to us boys. We got to hike to places like Half Dome and El Capitan. These hikes were not the simplest, but the reward of arriving at the destination was exhilarating! Throughout the hike, my legs burned and I longed to complete the journey. Upon arrival, the hard work paid off and I was glad to have endured the hard work that was required to enjoy the destination.
We often forget the same attitude that I had in Yosemite. We cannot see the end of life, right now, but one day we will. Our focus must remain on the journey currently at hand. We must focus and then focus again, reminding ourselves that just around the corner is the greatest 'pay-off' we can ever imagine.
Our goal is in the 'forward' direction. We don't need to ever look back. The spindle of our divine potential points forward.
The beauty of our Half Dome awaits us up ahead. With a steadfast resolve to remain focused, that beauty will touch and enrich our lives and will make all that we do eternally worthwhile.
