“Keep on going, we’re almost there,”  the man said to his wife as they were making their way back to the car after a much longer hike than they anticipated.  The couple left for what they thought would be a three-hour hike the day prior, to find themselves sleeping in the cold, huddled under one small compact blanket they had in their pack.   That morning they awoke, happy to have survived the night and were able to find their way back to their starting point, and to safety.

During the long night, as they walked with only the light of the moon, they kept themselves going one step at a time until they found a large boulder they could make their “bed” for the night.  “One step at a time” is what they kept telling each other when one of them was too tired to go any further.

Now that they could see the car, the steps came easier, and they quickly found themselves back to the safety of their vehicle knowing that in just a couple of hours they would be back home.  “We made it” said the husband.   “Finally”  acknowledged the wife.

In life, there are many times when we feel that we are never going to get “there,”  wherever that may be.  If could be a high school graduation day, a college graduation, retirement, having a first child, or completing what seems to be a never-ending project.   The longest journeys are the ones that can provide the most opportunity for growth.

Just one more step, one more nail, one more word, one more…  That is the mantra that can keep you going when the last thing you want to do is to take one more step, or to hammer one more nail, or to write one more word.   Just “one more” and then after that you can see if you want to do another.

Life is about persistence and persevering when times seem to be tough.  Life is about having a commitment and following through until you’ve accomplished what you have set out to do.  Life is about having fun along the way, and finding joy and happiness when things look the gloomiest.

Have you ever noticed how some people can take a situation, like the two lost hikers, and use humor to lighten the mood?  How someone can sustain a possibly serious injury and laugh about it, or tell a joke to lessen the worry of those around him?  These are the people who you need to use as “mentors” in your life so that you might be able to better adapt to those situations as well.

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Not knowing what is around the bend in the path is what makes life exciting.  Give up the need to calculate every step.  Simply figure out your next step, and take it.  Then you can decide if you would like to take a step after that, but only after you take the first one.

Written Sat, Mar 8, 2014, 9:37 – 9:47 AM MT