Travel Tip #961 - Giants

"my problem

my giant

just won't keep quiet

she's first thing every morning

to the last thing I hear every night

but she can't be completely indestructible

I only wish I could see how to defeat 

my giant" 

- Stephanie Smith 

There's a song I really like called "My Giant" (I would post a link of the song here, but it is no where to be found on youtube) which I discovered by watching one of my favorite movies in the world, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (that's right, it's the modern mormon version that no one has heard of!) Totally worth it, trust me! Anyways, the song's chorus posted above always makes me stop and think about all the different giants we meet on the road to just about anywhere.

They show up and they are BIG!

I posted about storms last time, which may seem kind of the same as giants. But the hard thing about giants, unlike storms, are that they move, they think, and they purposefully choose to be against us. Giants stand up and shout, "Fe Fi Fo Fum" or "Who will dare to fight me?"  They are proud, terrifying beasts that we allow to manipulate us, lie to us, and flat out scare us. Giants are the bullies of the journey -the crazy bosses, the abusive parents, the backstabbing friends, and the selfish spouses. They are the relationship problems that come with being human. They aren't the mountains we climb or the blizzards we get through, instead they are the enemies we have to deal with or the unhealthy fears and habits we must destroy. 

And giants seem indestructible. That's why they are giants and we are not. Because we, being the short little guys, tend to feel intimidated. There's no easy way to fight a giant in life. Basically, you just have to put your armor on, have friends to encourage you along the way, and have the faith that no giant is completely indestructible.

They may not all fall the way Goliath did, but all giants can be defeated with the right stone.

Travel Tip #86 - Storms

“And when it rains on your parade, look up rather than down. Without the rain, there would be no rainbow.” 

- G.K. Chesterton

(I'm obviously not a drawing master. But hey, I tried!)

I don't really understand the people who actually, truly enjoy rainy days. Sure, cloudy days maybe, if you happen to be in England or something and have an umbrella handy. But not rain and especially not storms! I don't think I'd mind if I never had to get caught in the rain again. No more sloshing through puddles in the wrong shoes. No more shaking my fist at the sky in anger. And no more pretending I can control the weather with my mind. (AND no more failing to control the weather with my mind.) It would be glorious. 

However, life happens and sadly, storms come with the package. 

But like Chesterton says, without rain there wouldn't be any rainbows. Storms in life are rough. It's easy to get your feet swept out from under you by high winds you didn't see coming or step in a problem puddle deeper than you expected. Without the storms, though, there'd be less smiles when the sun shines. There wouldn't be a reason to cling so tightly to hope or God's promises. Rainbows would no longer need to exist and we'd miss out on their beauty. 

Besides, standing in the rain won't kill you -it'll only make you wet.  

Travel Tip #2 - Locke's Tip

"A leader can't lead until he knows where he's going." - John Locke, season 1, episode 5 of LOST

LOST is a great show on many levels, but this scene with Locke and Jack is one of my all-time favorites. It's at the beginning, when characters are still figuring out who they are going to be, and the audience is wondering. Jack, in this particular episode, is struggling, chasing something, and wrestling with identity issues. He is questioning his strength and leadership capabilities. And it is here where John Locke offers him some great advice -the quote above.

And Locke is right. I've been on many trips, and although it is sometimes fun to freely explore the surroundings, wandering spontaneously without a plan, the best leaders always have a map to come back to. What is a building without structure? A school without some rules? A relationship without guidelines? I am convinced that everything in life is working toward a goal, whether we are aware of it or not. This is true for a good leader. No one's going to follow you, unless you first know where you're going and how to get there. So, take a look at the map.

Random Travel Tip #1 - Single Steps

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao Tzu

Let's face it, the first step is always the hardest. I don't know about you, but every day I find myself in the exact same position. Whether it's having the stamina to wake up in the morning, the self-control to pick the healthy food at meal time, or the drive to keep my priorities straight, I am continually fighting to start moving. But I've come to the realization that once moving, it's easy to continue. 

Once I am finally out of bed for the day, I am good to go. In fact, it's normally difficult to get myself back to sleep when the next night arrives. After I pick out a healthy meal, I eat it, enjoy it, and usually feel satisfied enough to do it again. As for keeping my priorities straight, the more time I spend at the prayer chapel, gym, or library, the more time I want to spend in those places. 

I'm guessing the trip to gain knowledge or health isn't the exact scenario Tzu had in mind when he came up with his wise words. But any journey begins with a single step. With the willingness and determination to lift your feet off the front porch and onto the road, anything is possible. You never know when your own steps will take you a thousand miles. And even if you don't get that far, at least you'll be a step closer.