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Making Bread

2 Dec

I have a friend who is a baker.  He makes all kinds of artisan breads and works very hard at creating new recipes that are delicious and incredible.  While visiting him recently I watched as he worked.  He made the dough and then scraped it onto his table where he proceeded to knead and work it.  At one point he picked the huge ball of dough up and slammed it against the table.  I asked him about that and he said it helped to develop the dough, making it more elastic and giving it a wonderful texture.  Later when we tasted the bread, it was amazing.  And he was right, the texture was wonderful and I have never tasted anything more perfect.  I have been thinking about that ever since.  There is a parallel to our lives in this.  We go through our days and things go right and sometimes they go wrong.  It seems our struggles knead us into something better, and there are definitely times when we feel we’re being slammed against a table!  But if we endure, and learn from our experiences, we too, just like my friend’s bread, will have an amazing texture to our lives, and become deep and well developed.

Nobody likes to go through hard times.  Nobody likes to suffer, and nobody wants bad things to come to them.  But we don’t live in Nirvana.  We live on earth and in a human existence.  We interact with others who have free will and can, and sometimes do, make decisions that impact us negatively.  We get hurt, and we struggle, but through the struggle comes strength, and knowledge, and if we’re patient, eventually wisdom.  It would be great if we could learn everything we needed to know, and grow into incredible people without suffering, but that isn’t the case.  It seems we need a refining fire to burn off our superficial pettiness, and our selfish desires.  Silversmiths work with ore putting it in a hot furnace again and again.  When asked how they know all the dross has been burned off and the silver is pure, they say they know it’s ready when they see their reflection in it.  There is nothing left to diminish the shine.  It’s the same with us.  We struggle, we feel pain and loss, and as we do small bits of what we don’t need fall away, and in the end because of what it takes to get through, we are purer than when we started.

It’s nice to dream of a perfect world where everyone loves everyone else, where we’re all respected and cared for, and where there are no tears of sadness, sorrow or loneliness.  But if we lived in such a state, if we were in paradise all the time, we would never have the opportunity to grow.  We would never really know joy because we would never know sorrow.  Joy is the absence of sorrow.  We have to experience one to understand the other.  And so, although it’s nice to think about a world where nothing goes wrong, it’s better to live in one where it does.  It’s hard to remember that when we’ve been hurt, betrayed, lied to, offended, or injured.  It’s hard to think anything good could come from our suffering, but greatness comes to us when we persevere and hold fast to what is right, even in times of trial.  Wisdom comes from experience – and the difficult experiences teach us far more than the easy ones.

Today if you feel beset by trials, if you’re suffering and feeling bad, remember you are in the refiner’s fire.  You are learning more about life and about yourself.  It might get hot and you may feel very uncomfortable for a time but it’ll never get too hot for you to handle.  You are becoming great.  You are becoming your best self.  Hang on and learn all you can.  You’re getting stronger and closer to who you really want to be.

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Voice Over

25 Nov

We all have our own impressions of this life.  The things we go through, and the experiences we have give uniqueness and color to those impressions. We interpret things our own way and we make personal choices based on who we are and what we want. As we go along we develop our own voices, exclusive to us, and different from anyone else. The impact we have on the world is ours alone to make, and we have both the privilege, and the responsibility to ensure it is heard. We all have something to offer and we can be brave and bold in presenting ourselves. This life flashes by in an instant. It’s important we recognize who we are, and what we want to share, and then go about doing just that. There are some who might try to silence our uniqueness and make us conform to a model they prefer. But we have a true, clear voice, and it needs to be heard.

When painters compose a painting and they want a strong image and excellent texture, they often choose many colors to bring it to life. There are warm, rich tones that bring light to the painting and deep, dark shades that give it foundation and depth. They might try white here and there to add shape, and black for darkness and shadow. Rarely is a remarkable painting made using only one shade or hue. It takes all the colors – all the voices – to bring life to the composition. Like an artist’s palette, it takes all our voices for life to be complete. We need to hear from the realists, the optimists, the pragmatists, and even the pessimists. We all have a version to share, and opinions that bring depth and challenge to our everyday experiences. We have the right to express our voices, even if they are different than what the choir is singing. Our part counts, and needs to be heard.

If we struggle with self-doubt, we may believe our voice isn’t good enough, smart enough, or strong enough to be heard. But we don’t have to be perfect to sing out. We don’t have to know a certain melody, we don’t have to sing in the same key, we don’t even have to sing the same song. The important thing is that we share who we are, and express ourselves. Nobody else knows everything we do, or sees things our way. Our contribution is important. We can be bold in speaking out, and we can be confident. Each voice has depth and color that will bring richness and texture to life. We all have a lot to offer, and our contribution is priceless. Nobody else can offer it but us.

Today if you’ve been keeping quiet, if you’ve let others convince you that your contribution isn’t worthy, don’t believe it. Your voice is needed and valuable. You have so many incredible thoughts inside you. Share with those around you. Open your heart, and let your voice be heard. We need to hear your perspective, and your perceptions. You are a wonderful gift to the world. Sing out. You have a beautiful voice.

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Walking a Tightrope

24 Nov

Our lives can sometimes get quite complicated. Perhaps our personal relationships are strained and we are unsure of how to go forward. Maybe our jobs have changed and expectations are now higher than we’re comfortable. Or perhaps our financial situation has shifted and made planning more difficult. When we’re in situations that are stressful and precarious, and we’re trying to figure out how to navigate them, it can feel like we’re walking on a tightrope. One quick turn the wrong way and we could fall. It’s unsettling when things aren’t stable or are more difficult than we feel we can tolerate. But tolerate them we must until they change. The wire may wobble as we try to move forward. We may feel unsettled or nervous, but with patience and care we can keep our balance, even if the ground is far below us. Instead of looking down and imagining the fall, we can keep our eyes trained ahead and take a step forward.

When we’re struggling to find our footing, it’s helpful to take things more slowly. If we take a little more time with our decisions and think about them a bit longer, we may be more successful. Running full speed is great when we’re on firm soil, but when we’re suspended in doubt and uncertainty, it’s helpful to go a little slower. Unless we’re facing a deadline of some sort, we may take as much time as we need to figure things out. The important thing isn’t how fast we find the answers, but to reach the right ones so we can gain a firmer foundation. Before we take a step in any direction we need to be sure there is enough rope to hold us. If there is, we can move forward. If not, we need to ponder the situation a little longer and find the answer that works. We can make excellent decisions if we give ourselves the time and consideration we need.

In order to move ahead when we’re in precarious situations it’s important to focus on the end goal. We need to visualize where we want to go and see it clearly in front of us. It’s impossible to navigate difficult situations effectively if we have no idea where we want to end up. Once we have our direction, we can plan our steps going forward. We may stumble, the ground might shake, and the wire may twist a little, but if we focus we can regain our balance and begin again. Slowly moving forward we can hang on through the fog and find our way. There isn’t anything we can’t figure out. Step by step, watching carefully, we can navigate even the most difficult of challenges and succeed.

Today if you’re in a complicated situation and you feel unsure, take your time. Stop for a moment to regroup and see where you need to go. Let yourself have time to think and you’ll find your way. There isn’t anything you can’t conquer. There is nothing you can’t do. See the destination before you and begin going forward. You’ll reach it at the right time and everything will be strong again.

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Modification

21 Nov

There are times in our lives when we may find the road we’re on isn’t taking us where we thought it would. The signs are there, we can see we aren’t moving forward, and we may end up further from the goal than when we started. It seems the logical thing to do at a time like that is to adjust our trajectory to one that takes us closer to where we want to go. However, if we are convinced the path we’ve chosen is right, and believe that if we just keep going we’ll eventually succeed, we may stay the course. We’ve probably all heard the definition of insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It’s the same thing if we know something isn’t working but keep pushing forward thinking it will change. We may not be crazy, but the idea that continuing on the same incorrect course will magically change it into one that works isn’t logical. And it certainly won’t help us get to our destination.

When we are confident in our decisions, whatever they are, and proceed forward, we expect things to work out as planned. We foresee that we’ll get from point A to point B by using the plan we’ve created and the path we’ve chosen. If we hit a few snags at the beginning we may overlook them and continue on. If we continue to falter we may think it’s just a matter of time or working a bit harder to be successful. But eventually if we see we aren’t going anywhere, and despite working harder at the problem nothing is changing, we need to stop and reconsider. It never works to keep moving forward or pushing harder if we’re going the wrong way. We may struggle with admitting our plan isn’t working but ignoring the facts will only prevent us from gaining success. If we want to achieve the goal, and what we’re doing isn’t working, it’s time to reorganize, rethink, and make a new plan.

It’s good to be confident, and we are capable of making excellent decisions. But nobody is perfect and sometimes things don’t work out with the methods we’ve chosen. There is nothing wrong with revising our plans. If we need to, it’s wise to adjust our course and retool going forward. But if we’re so sure we’re right and choose our opinion over doing what is needed to succeed, all we’ll have in the end is our opinion. We can win if we humble ourselves enough to accept the need to change and then do what is required to make success possible. After all, success is the goal – not the process to get there.

Today if you’ve been pushing and pushing and nothing is changing or you find you’re going in the wrong direction, stop and look at the situation again. Be open to adjusting your course and the answers will come. Start again, and make changes as they are needed. You will achieve your goal and you’ll be successful. You have everything you need to win. Be flexible and you’ll get there.

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Sunday Drive

18 Nov

We get a lot of advice from others around us. Family members may tell us what they think we should be doing, bosses may tell us how they want us to go forward, friends may tell us what we should change, and it seems everyone in our circle has an opinion about how we’re living our lives. There is nothing wrong with getting advice, but if we did what everyone else thought we should be doing, we might end up doing nothing we want to do. It’s easy to be swayed by someone close to us when they tell us what they think we need to hear. And sometimes we may even believe they know more about us than we do. But we are the experts on ourselves, and we know what we want and need better than anyone else. We can be confident in making our own choices and we can be independent of those around us. We love them, but we control our lives, and we can manage them our way.

Having confidence in the ability to manage our own lives comes easily for some, but is more difficult for others. If we’ve been held tightly and given a lot of supervision and direction, we may come to rely on that support. Over time if we continue to let others make our decisions, or heavily influence us, we might not realize what we really want. Going along is easy. We just do what we’re told and play the game. But the problem with going along is that we may get lost in doing what someone else has decided and over time may forget that we, too, have a voice.  And our voices are valuable. We are just as relevant and important as anyone else. If we continually sit in the back seat and just ride along with other people’s plans, we can’t drive our lives where we want to go.

Speaking up and saying what we want empowers us and gives us confidence. We don’t have to be forceful, or domineering, but we can state our preferences. If others disagree, we can accept that and still be confident in doing whatever is best for us. Our lives are unique, and we get to decide where they go, what we do, and how we’ll go forward. We can think about what we want, and then we can do what it takes to get it. There is nothing that will stop us if we want something badly enough. Other opinions may be valuable and we may listen to them, but when it comes to making the decision, we can determine which way to go. Nobody knows us better than we do. We know what we want, and we certainly have everything we need to achieve it.

Today if you’ve been going along and taking lots of advice, remember that you can choose your own course. You can decide what’s best for you. Your life is yours and you have everything you need to make the best decisions. Be confident. Whatever you choose to do will be right for you. Design your life exactly as you like, and it will be perfect.

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