Are You Shaping or Being Shaped?
Interesting question, are you shaping or being shaped? Let me share with you the story behind the question before you answer it.
I was out walking this morning and came across a creek that empties its’ water into the St. Lawrence River. We have had very little snow this winter and the temperature has been above average throughout the winter months but there was a steady stream of water running this morning. I marvelled at how the water carved its’ path through the rough terrain. It curved right or left depending what obstacle was in its path. In some locations it appeared to have pushed right through obstacles in it’s’ path and I am sure this would have happened in the spring with the surging pressure accompanying the spring runoff. Water, as we know, doesn’t make choices. It takes the path of least resistance as it uses gravity to propel it to the final destination of the river. This is not to say it can’t leave some damage in it’s’ wake. The water will get to the river, sometimes shaping its’ own path and other times having the path shape where the water goes.
Life is like this. We strive to ‘get to our own river’ facing obstacles and choices along the way. Depending on what is happening in our lives, there are times we make conscious decisions to carve the path we want. Other times life is busy and we bend to the pressure and life begins to shape us. Hopefully we make more choices than reactive movement. I was reading an article on Demi Moore and her current challenges in life. She said she got some great advice which said “Don’t let your wounds make you something you’re not”. We all stumble and falter at times in our lives. Dwelling on these mistakes only reinforces the power they can have on us, thereby shaping you in a way you don’t want to go. Learn from your mistakes so you can make the positive choices to help shape the life you want. As the old saying goes “A waterfall begins with a drop of water”. Your conscious decisions to shape your own future begin with knowing what you want and incorporating the right behaviour and actions to get you there.
