Apr 2, 2009
I am sitting at my dining room table. Steaming cup of coffee in my hand. My windows are open. The song of a thousand birds echo from the trees. I close my eyes and feel their excitement to be awake. They are soaking up the brilliant morning sun. I look out to the grassy hill in my front yard. The long grass has been pressed down by the snow. It looks like a heard of wild animals had perhaps stampeded through.
Amongst the open yard there are two radically different worlds. A small patch of snow is holding on. Defying the warmth of the sun. Refusing to melt away into the soon forgotten season. Inches away, a small patch of neon green bursts through the trampled grass. Reaching for the sun. Its tiny leaves stretched outwards like a father waiting for his child to fall into his arms.
I see myself as both the snow patch and the green new growth. Holding onto my past, trying not to let go of the coldness of what I know needs to be cut free. I live though for new growth… reaching for brighter, warmer days. To grow and learn and be stronger, more alive.
What are you doing today to grow? Let what you know needs to… go.
Spring.
Rejuvenate.
Posted by Stu Saunders in Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation on Apr 2, 2009 at 8:04 am | Permanent Link | Comments (7)
Comment posted on Apr 2, 2009 at 1:21 pm by Pam Lamb (YLCC Guest)
Oh how I want to be at camp. Today in Ottawa is beautiful and I am simply taking time out in the sun to let some sun soak into my skin. When it is sunny and beautiful I feel more productive, more alive, and more appreciative. Taking some time in the sun today is how I can grow, I look forward to more sunny and warm days, letting go of some of my bleak days of winter, and looking to finish the school year strongly.
Comment posted on Apr 2, 2009 at 1:24 pm by ElizabethB (YLCC Member)
my lord… just echoing what i was thinking before i even read this. i got some unexpected news today… some that has raised many questions for me. the ‘letting go’ is what is going to be my challenge. i don’t know how yet. gotta keep searching for my patch of grass, my bright sunny day!
Comment posted on Apr 2, 2009 at 1:50 pm by Angela (YLCC Member)
All of us tend to hold to our past
Those moments helped define us so letting go of them means that we let go a piece of ourselves
I crave change
I love movement
I cannot wait to feel the warmth
The sun rejuvenates my soul
Great Blog
A
Comment posted on Apr 2, 2009 at 6:06 pm by jessome (YLCC Member)
I like this one.
I have alot of things in my life that are holding me down at the moment. Unfortunately, the stress has gotten the best of me over the past few weeks, and it’s prevented me from shaking off the little things.
When I woke up this morning form a power nap, I realized I had just pulled my last all-nighter of my undergrad. I knew that by midnight tonight, my last assignment was going to be out of the way. I handed in four papers/ reports today, and with each one, I felt some of the stress fall away.
Amidst the piles of library books and dirty clothes, I hope to find my journal tonight. I haven’t written in it for about a month, and I miss its peace.
It’s time I begin nurturing the things I’ve been ignoring. Friends. Family. A relationship. the last days of School. Challenges. Change. Love. Happiness.
it’s all within my reach now.
Jessome
Comment posted on Apr 2, 2009 at 9:54 pm by Erin (YLCC Member)
Your blog today speaks to me quite a bit.
When I made the decision to come back to YLCC, I had a lot of different thing to weigh. A lot of them came to my past (and present as an extension of my fresh past) versus what I wanted for my future. I had to decide to choose between what had become routine, what was safe and easy vs. what could make me grow personally and professionally.
Growth can be a scary thing when it comes to ourselves and making a choice as to where to lay seeds for our own future is no easy task. Watching grass start to spring after a hard winter should remind us all that after hard times or even difficult decisions comes a “greener” more comfortable stage.
Its all about ACE and making smart choices to better ourselves and to continuously reach for greener pastures- not because the grass is always greener on the other side but because we are ready for the challenge of making it so. With every new change comes an adjustment period- for the grass that strives to grow after winter to the buds blooming on trees to the people saying “yes, I made the right choice despite my fears in stepping outside of my comfort zone”.
Its not always easy to put yourself in a position to truly grow but once you make the step, with the right intentions, the rewards are endless.
Thank you for your blog. Today. And every other day that you share your thoughts with us.
xo.
Comment posted on Apr 3, 2009 at 2:38 am by Hillary Newkirk (YLCC Member)
Today, for me, to learn, to grow, is to explore the world around me. I am doing some site seeing today. I love seeing the way other people live. Thinking about the way I live in comparison and evaluating myself.
So today will be a day of learning from others, and exploring places I’ve never been.
thanks Stu.
Hillary
Comment posted on Apr 5, 2009 at 7:26 am by Aaroneous (YLCC Member)
Perfect Q! i just had to think about this the other day, Ornj sort of directed me to think of the original issue… the root of the problem.
You set an AMAZING scene! i feel like im lookin at the same snow - but out of the gatehouse window =)
The biggest, snowiest barrier is myself, is my mind and thoughts that come from it! From journalling the barriers that i have written in past entries are reasons i have thought of after to help myself feel ok about failing. When situation presents itself trying or tedious and i cant pull through then i rack my brain for reasons why its ok that i failed. And although it can be good to keep a positive outlook i think its even more important to realizes weaknesses and work them.
A mantra “one day at a time” helps me slow down, helps to think things through a little more patiently and prevents me from feeling failure before the experience takes place.
The snow you wrote about paralleled the thought of patience i need to have, to be a bright green of patch of grass, i need to wait for the snow to melt., i cant give up just because of some ‘barrier’‘.
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
great start to a day thanks S2.
livetolearn.
aaron