Life can be a struggle at times. At least journeys we take to reach our goals can be a struggle. Not that struggles are bad. When struggles end with rewards they are good. They teach us lessons. We become stronger.
Two developments recently got me to thinking about struggles and successes.
The first was the baby birds in the nest beneath the eave between the bricks and the downspout of the gutters on the backside of our home.
Mama bird flies to and fro relentlessly bringing some kind of food for the waiting open mouths of the baby birds. I don’t know where she finds food but that in itself is a struggle.
Baby birds wait with open mouths. Their shrieks and flutters make me aware of when she is bringing food each trip. As the baby birds eat the become stronger their quiet chirps become much louder. Soon they will test their wings, but not until mama bird lets them know that they should. As they develop somehow they instinctively learn how to set sail. It’s fly or fall to the ground and become easy prey.
Secondly, it is interesting as well as entertaining to watch the granddaughters become more adept at swimming without life vests or their “floaties” as they call them. that they once slid their arms through and snapped together in the back. First the oldest and then the younger one shed the protective devices. Now they jump into the pool with no fear with no vests or “floaties” on. Their strength builds. Now they swim across the pool, climb out and jump right back in to see how fast they can make it back across.
Small successes become larger successes if we “keep on keepin’ on” as noted motivational speaker Zig Ziglar would say. I heard that phrase over and over during one of his talks. If we keep on, or persevere, good things will likely happen.
But that’s only my opinion. What’s yours?
