Category: Grow

There are many roads to choose from in life.  Some are rather easy roads to travel.  Some seem very, very difficult.  Which of these roads, the difficult or the easy, bring us the most happiness, the most pain, the most growth?  And how do we know how to choose which road is the right one for us at any given moment in our life?

As I was traveling the Cascade Loop (in the state of Washington) a few years ago, I realized some interesting things about roads, both the actual concrete types of road (highways on the maps), and the other kind of road (the type of road we travel to find our inner self, our spiritual self, our REAL self, if you will).

On that day, driving through the Cascades, I was immersed in the beautiful scenery.  Then I realized I was missing as much as I was seeing. Traveling west along Highway 2 the views were magnificent, but I was always trying to turn around to see what was behind me.  As I glanced in my rearview mirror I kept seeing different views of the mountains.  For as I passed a mountain top and enjoyed its splendor, I realized that to see it from the other direction held another whole image for me.  The view from the other direction offered me another, a different perspective.

Maybe some of the roads we travel in our quest for inner growth are like my mountain road.  Maybe looking down the road of life from any one place offers a different view of ourselves than looking at our life from another place along that same road.  And possibly it would be helpful to see our lives from a different direction, from the reverse direction along that road.  Maybe this is why we are sometimes asked to re-travel some of life’s roads, to go over and over what seems like the same old part of our lives that we thought we had resolved.  Maybe we need to see our life not only going forward but also see it coming back the other way.  Maybe doing this can offer us something we will need in our pursuit of self-growth.  Sometimes we ask others in our lives to give us perspective on our lives from their view point; this can be a good thing.  However, it may be equally important for us to be able to see things from our own point of view, but with a different twist.  We may need to see an event in our lives not only going forward, but going backward over it, seeing it as we look back over that particular life road.

I always have some anger at myself when I seem to be sliding backwards instead of moving forward.  Just when I think I have conquered a growth step, I find myself at a dead end, and I am forced to retrace my steps, covering the same road going the other way.  Is that bad?  I always thought so, until now.  Maybe some roads need to be traveled twice, sometimes three times or even more, to learn that particular lesson a little better, or to understand ourselves from a different angle.  This might also allow us to enjoy what we missed along the way the first time.  Often times we can be so caught up in reaching our goal that we forget to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way in our journey. 

We probably will travel some of life’s roads more than once, some maybe many times.  The trip going offers us one view of ourselves, the trip returning may offer us even a better view.  Let’s just enjoy the experiences and the view along our Life Roads.

Change, Grow, Evolve

©bcreed

I like the idea that we get “stuck” in some parts of our lives, rather than we are a failure or worthless or some other term with negative implications.  Just because our life has a few flaws in it, a few imperfections, it does not mean that we should give up.  Remember, we are only “stuck.”

Being stuck reminds me of traveling in a car on the way to a destination when we might come across a “road closed” sign due to some repairs being made to the road.  This does not mean that the road is totally shut down forever.  It does not mean that it no longer has any hope of contributing to the functionality of the highway system.  Nor does it mean that the entire highway system is worthless, just because a section of it needs to be worked on.  It just means that due to some circumstance (caused by either man or nature) this road needs attention.

I think that is how we should look at our lives; we get stuck and parts of our lives need attention from time to time.  Even though many parts of our lives are working well, at times we may need to do some either minor, or even major repairs, on specific parts of it.  We will still be able to function as a whole person, carrying on as a teacher, a friend, a parent, a partner, or whatever.  However, we will need to take time to work on certain roads that are in need of repair if we hope to be able to travel that particular way in the future.

What part of your life, which of your roads, needs some attention? 

Change, Grow, Evolve

©bcreed

I remember once a long time ago looking out a window and commenting on the nice view.  My partner at dinner said, “what view – the rusty old barges in the water?” I looked at what he meant and then I did see the rusty old things.  Until then I had not noticed them. I had looked beyond them, out to the water, the lights, the stars.  Each of us had seen a different view.

During that particular time in my life, I chose to see, or actually I just naturally saw, the beauty of the world – the water, the lights, the stars.  People told me that I did not see the real world, that I saw life through rose colored glasses, that I was naïve.  To others it may have seemed that way.  That I chose to ignore the challenges that were right in front of me; however, that was not true.  Like everyone, I had problems that came into my life, plenty of problems, and I had to face them and deal with them. But I also made an effort to focus on the good in the world and the good in people. Life seemed to work better for me when I did this.

Well, life caught up to me and I became less naïve and more of a realist.  I was less able to see the lights and the stars and started to see more of the rusty old barges in the water. As time went on and I grew older (not necessarily wiser) it seemed harder to see the beauty of world around me and easier to see the sometimes ugly realities of life.  Some may say it is better to see life this way.  Some may say it is best not to see the world through “rose colored glasses.”

©bcreed

Well, finally I am putting words on the paper about my recent obsession with weeds.  I do not remember weeds being as prevalent in California as they are here in Idaho.  But I want to say that here weeds are everywhere,  And there are so many different varieties of weeds.  I see them as I walk my dogs through the neighborhoods around me. 

As I am walking around I see weeds and am intrigued by their ability to grow, no matter the circumstances.  I see them coming through the cracks in the sidewalk. And the asphalt of the street. I see them pushing up through the drainage ditches along the sidewalk.  I see them pushing through the grass and planter areas, pushing past the “weed barrier” that landscapers have put down.

Sometimes I want to be a weed!!

Weeds are not deterred by any so called “weed barrier” or any concrete or any asphalt.  They are pushy.  They are persistent. They are determined to survive.  They are resilient and will adapt to the circumstances they encounter. They are going to live as they are destined to live and they do not let obstacles stop them.

Sometimes I want to be a weed!

Just like  a weed, I want to be able to thrive and push through the obstacles and “barriers” in my life.  I want to be resilient and survive challenges, and not let any of life’s barriers prevent me from living life to the fullest.  I want to be determined enough not to give up when I encounter my “life barriers.” I want to be able to grow as a person, no matter the circumstances. I feel like the weed just doesn’t take no for an answer and keeps on pushing.  It pushes and pushes, never getting discouraged for it knows it will win in the end and it will make it through that concrete. I want to be like that!

Sometimes the weed sneaks up on me.  I do not see its beginnings, but then I see this 3 foot tall weed in my planter area. Was it growing tall and strong under the weed barrier and then broke through in all its glory?  Sometimes I want to do that.  I want to grow and thrive quietly and then burst forth for others to see.  I want to keep my growth a secret until I reach the point where others’ negative comments and opinions will not affect me. 

In my life, and I expect in the life of most individuals, there are and will continue to be challenges.  There will be “barriers” and concrete and asphalt to get in our way.  Sometimes we will want to give up and stop growing; we want to stay in our safe ruts, our comfortable places.

When that happens to you, remember the weed!  You can be a weed!  You can break through your barriers and get above ground to feel the sun, to see what you can do in life.  The weed may not be the prettiest plant in the garden, but from what I see it may be the mightiest.  I pull them; they grow back.  I pull them again; they grow back again.  If I do not go after them at all, they overtake the yard and the planting area.  They will not be discouraged and will not be stopped!

That could be you!  Do not be discouraged!  If someone or something tries to stop your growth, what you want to do in life, push your way through that barrier.  If the weed can sprout up through concrete, think of what you can do!  Be a weed!

©bcreed