There was a man who felt terribly down and discouraged.
New Year’s Day was approaching and he realized that all the previous New Year resolutions he made and planned for did not materialize. Nothing changed and his life was the same as before. Indeed he was troubled. So he went to the wise man in town asking for advice.
The wise man introduced to him the Chinese Bamboo story.
He asked the troubled man do you know how long it takes for the bamboo to grow tall. The man replied NO.
So here it is the wise man said:
A Chinese man had been given a bamboo seed. He planted it and it watered it and nourished it as often as he could. One year went by and the tree did not grow
Second year the tree did not grow; third and fourth the same
The fifth year 6 weeks before the 5th year anniversary the tree grew 90 inches tall.
The man was astounded.
He ran over to the wise man in town and complained.
Look at my tree; it grew in 6 weeks this tall while I took care of it for five years prior. How come?
The man replied No this tree grew 90 inches tall and it took 5 years, and because of you watering it and nourishing it along the way the tree grew so beautifully
Indeed it takes time to make things happen and patience is of great value but most importantly one must enjoy the process getting there.
So why am I sharing with you this famous story?
Timing is perfect. We are reaching the end of this calendar year 2012 and as we close the gates to a year filled with familiarity; experiences, feelings and events we also must welcome with open arms the New Year!!! Let’s embrace the newness and list our personal resolutions and goals. Let us believe, let us be patient and keep our spirit and passion alive and make this coming year an amazing year.
Albert Einstein quote: “You can live two ways; you can live as nothing is a miracle or you can choose to live as everything is a miracle.”
Yes, some of us see their journey through life as a puzzle to be solved. Others see it as a mystery to be lived. Regardless of how great the disparity is between them, both visions are true. Life is sometimes a puzzle to be solved and other times a mystery to be lived. Wisdom lies in knowing when to solve the puzzle and when to live the mystery as we travel on the journey that is our lives.
Time is our one constant companion on our journey through life.
And just as we try to strike a balance between solving the puzzle and living the mystery on our journey, we also seem to have a dual relationship with our traveling companion. At times we flow with our companion, while at other times we seem to struggle with it. In reality, we never really struggle with time. We struggle with the things that prevent us from flowing with time.
Whether we see our journey through life as a puzzle, a mystery, or some combination of both, that journey will continue and time will accompany us along the way. We must make time our friend, because traveling with a friend is always better than traveling with a stranger or even worse, an enemy. We flow with time when time is our friend.
Now is the time to make time your friend. Now is the time to enjoy your traveling companion for the rest of your journey. It’s about time!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
Ana Weber is a blogger for JenningsWire, a blogging community created by Annie Jennings.
