Steps towards self-realization

There are those who forge ahead in life, keeping the what-if's at bay by concentrating only on the here-and-now, the next step, the present moment.

Then there are those who move ahead only so far as they can see and be sure of. When the path becomes unclear or their success is in doubt, they turn around and quit, preferring to seek out a sure path to a known destination rather than forge a new path to a new destination.

This is me.........and today this part of my character was illustrated in an unbelievably crystal clear manner to me.

Along the beach at Rabbit Island G & I came across a channel of water separating the beach from a tract of sand some 50-60 metres seaward. G wondered whether it would be possible to wade across to the sand spit (she's a forge-ahead type)......we began and were doing quite well (rolling our shorts ever higher so as not to get wet) but when the water was over my knees and I couldn't roll my shorts up any further, I decided it couldn't be done, turned around and waded back.

G kept on going, quashing potentially stultifying thoughts of dropped camera bag or wave surges and bit by bit gradually made her way closer and closer to the far side.

Eventaully, arriving on the new sand, she spread her arms wide in a gesture of celebration.

And me? Well, now I could see that this was an attainable goal there was no reason why I couldn't do it, so off I went again. Yes, my shorts got a bit wet, but I too made it to the new sand. It was during this crossing that it struck so unbelievably clearly me how this crossing was a metaphor for my approach to the unknown.

Oh - and as the afternoon developed other examples of exactly the same lesson presented themselves to me. I guess today was the day I was meant to learn it!

The big challenge now is just what do I do with this learning.........?

Put one foot in front of the other, only look at the next step and stay in the present..............

What a great day :)