I briefly visited with my former late pastor’s wife and as usual she was sharing some of the same stories that I have heard for years about the accomplishments of her family. The stories have changed over the years to fit the accomplishments but she makes sure to share each one with great pride and enthusiasm as if they were just accomplished today. Admittedly, I used to “half listen” to her stories because they seemed a little boastful but in recent years I have learned to appreciate them.
If you knew this woman you would have had one of two opinions about her because of her delivery but I think that I understand her even more today. I believe that she shared those stories as an encouragement of what can be accomplished despite the challenges in a person’s life. Most of the people that she bragged about hit brick walls, fell down, and/or had a rough start in life. They all in her words “came from nothing and made something out of themselves.”
The delivery of her message was rough sometimes because she was trying to get through to our hearts. She was trying to get us to see our true value and worth beyond the moment that we were living. She was trying to help us see our lives as launching pads for our futures and not a cork to hold us in from all the possibilities that life had to offer.
Unfortunately most people who heard those stories over the years including me missed the point of her message. Although I have achieved a few of my goals I haven’t done much else. I realized that the message from her was not just to achieve success but to do something with it.
We are charged to think about others within our success. Once we meet our goal it is our duty to reach back and pull someone up like she did. Her success was her family. She reached back and attempted to pull up as many that were willing to take her direction.
Today I accept the charge from her to fully live the life that I am meant to live and to help pull someone else up once I get there. Will you do the same?
Just another day’s journey of pushing beyond my achieved goals. Peace.
Just Another Day's Journey 