Merge Like A Zipper

Image found on www.carolinacoastonline.com

A friend of mine recently got back from a quick trip to New Zealand. As he was sharing what the trip entailed one of his observations struck me as really important. While navigating unfamiliar terrain in his hire car he had predictably relied more heavily on the guideposts provided to support a driver’s journey. One particular sign had stood out for him. This was because of the positive influence it had and continued to have on his own and others choices whilst driving in that area.

“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” – Jane Goodall

The guidepost he saw was similar to the one pictured above. It’s an invitation to safely, mindfully and interdependently engage with self, others and the world around us whilst on the road. It got me thinking though about the guideposts that are present within my own journey of potential. The reflections that kept coming up fell within a busy few weeks of family celebrations. We’ve had milestone birthdays, other birthdays and of course Mother’s Day. These occasions provided plenty of opportunities for me to connect the dots.

“Love is how you earn your wings.” – Karen Goldman

As my siblings and I prepared slideshows of pictures, wrote poems to read and collated messages from family and friends into a framed artwork for our Dad’s milestone birthday I found myself filled with gratitude. The day after that celebration, with it being Mother’s Day, that feeling of gratitude continued. Many of the most important guideposts that have got me through the ups and downs that life inevitably presents have been born out of the example of these two inspiring individuals. Guideposts act as anchors that can continue to ground our thoughts, words and actions as we navigate all sorts of terrain. Thank you to all who have played a part in their development for me.

“The root of joy is gratefulness… It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” – David Steindl-Rast