A couple months ago, I was at an estuary in Maryland with some friends hiking and exploring. As we began our walk out of the woods and toward the parking lot, a gate blocked our path. My two friends immediately detoured to walk around it and I – who until that moment had planned on climbing over it – quietly followed them.
Immediately, it felt like poetry to me. I don’t always have to do things the hard way. I don’t always have to climb over things or run through the muck. Sometimes there is an easier solution if you pause for a second and assess the situation instead of jumping into the mire.
The gate wouldn’t have been hard to climb over – and blame it on my outdoorsy kid childhood for immediately wanting to climb – but it wasn’t about the gate.
In that moment, the gate became representative of every little hurdle I’ve faced personally, professionally, and otherwise. The gate represents all the times I’ve become a little overzealous. Sometimes, it’s worth saving energy and walking around it – not even giving the obstacle your attention.
How many little hurdles do we encounter in our every day? Do we give them more attention than they deserve? What would happen if – rather than entertaining the frustration – we simply looked at it, and then side stepped.
You don’t have to go through life constantly fighting things head on. It’s okay to walk around it sometimes. It’s okay to not break your stride for frivolous annoyances. You have bigger fish to fry. You have important work to do. Get to it.
Love always,
Liz