Our daughters were talking about the length of their strides when they walk. The feedback was that our youngest daughter has to take three walking steps to equal one of our oldest daughter's strides. It got me thinking about what the strides in our own lives mean to each of us. What does my stride mean to me personally?
I believe that the 'strides' that we make have a impact on life and how it all plays out for us as individuals. I observed an older gentleman serving a woman that was much younger than he. The task wasn't particularly easy for the man but the smile he wore on his face told me that he enjoyed what he was doing. In my mind this man was lengthening his stride.
I am personally blessed by the strides of so many others around me who take the time and make the effort to ease the burdens of those around them. I watch intently as these same people make the efforts without the expectation of thanks.
The strides that our daughters talk about teach us a valuable lesson. It doesn't matter the length of your stride rather the willingness to lengthen it.
Showing posts with label Do Good. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Do Good. Show all posts
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Do My Best
From the time I was a young boy, I heard my parents say on many occasions to 'remember who you are.' I tried to live by that but made some mistakes along the way. As a grown man, that phrase is a big deal to me. It doesn't mean that perfection is required, it means that I try my very best.
As a young boy, I received a pump pellet gun. If you pumped it ten or twelve times, you could do some serious damage to anything that you would hit. I would go out into the cattle corral and shoot sparrows from atop the barn. I shot many birds that the farmers in our small community found to be a nuisance. My mom had told me that robins were off-limits to shoot. I was alone, one afternoon, and noticed a large nest neatly positioned in a lilac bush. I didn't think much about it until I saw the head of a robin sitting in the nest. To this day, I still can't figure out what possessed me to act on something I knew to be wrong. I positioned my pellet gun toward the nest and 'sighted up' the robin. With the head of the robin positioned squarely in the sights of the rifle, I depressed the trigger and awaited the fatal consequence of my poor decision. As if my first choice wasn't bad enough I walked toward the nest and waited for a few minutes. Just as I had hoped, the other parent robin flew into the nest. When one poor decision is put into motion, another is likely to follow. Before all was said and done, I had consciously slaughtered an entire family of beautiful robins.
It is one of the lessons of life that makes me feel bad whenever I think about it.
I hold out hope that the decisions I make, now, will allow those who love me the most, to know that I am trying to do my best.
Sometimes there are situations when I have to think that if I were to make a particular decision, would the consequences directly impact Becky and our children in a negative light? Would my parents approve of my choices? What about Becky's parents and my siblings? Would the 'ripples' of poor decision-making continue for a very long time, thus inhibiting the progress toward the eternal goals I am trying to attain?
Fortunately, lessons give me valuable teaching opportunities. In all situations, I remember the phrase that my parents often used--'remember who you are.' It has kept me out of shady situations before and will continue to do so as I follow its wise counsel.
As a young boy, I received a pump pellet gun. If you pumped it ten or twelve times, you could do some serious damage to anything that you would hit. I would go out into the cattle corral and shoot sparrows from atop the barn. I shot many birds that the farmers in our small community found to be a nuisance. My mom had told me that robins were off-limits to shoot. I was alone, one afternoon, and noticed a large nest neatly positioned in a lilac bush. I didn't think much about it until I saw the head of a robin sitting in the nest. To this day, I still can't figure out what possessed me to act on something I knew to be wrong. I positioned my pellet gun toward the nest and 'sighted up' the robin. With the head of the robin positioned squarely in the sights of the rifle, I depressed the trigger and awaited the fatal consequence of my poor decision. As if my first choice wasn't bad enough I walked toward the nest and waited for a few minutes. Just as I had hoped, the other parent robin flew into the nest. When one poor decision is put into motion, another is likely to follow. Before all was said and done, I had consciously slaughtered an entire family of beautiful robins.
It is one of the lessons of life that makes me feel bad whenever I think about it.
I hold out hope that the decisions I make, now, will allow those who love me the most, to know that I am trying to do my best.
Sometimes there are situations when I have to think that if I were to make a particular decision, would the consequences directly impact Becky and our children in a negative light? Would my parents approve of my choices? What about Becky's parents and my siblings? Would the 'ripples' of poor decision-making continue for a very long time, thus inhibiting the progress toward the eternal goals I am trying to attain?
Fortunately, lessons give me valuable teaching opportunities. In all situations, I remember the phrase that my parents often used--'remember who you are.' It has kept me out of shady situations before and will continue to do so as I follow its wise counsel.
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