Stepping Stones & Big Leaps

Sparkle & Shine
Stepping Stones & Big Leaps
By Joan Bender

As a little girl, I loved playing by the creek in my back yard. One of my favorite activities was to try to step from one exposed rock to another without getting my feet wet. Each day the creek flowed differently, so each day, different rocks were exposed. Some days, the rocks were dry, and it was easy to get traction, and other days, they were wet and slippery. Some rocks were rounded requiring greater balance, while others provided a flat surface to stand on with ease. Some days, the rocks were close together, and other days, they were far apart, and I would have to take big leaps from one rock to the other. Some days, the water would be low, and there would be many stepping stones to choose from and other days, the current would be so high that I could only sit at the side of the creek and watch the water flow over the rocks. This is how I spent many days for years, and I think it was not only good for my physical agility, but for having a metaphor of how to move through life.

I see each day as a series of stepping stones where we navigate the waters, and step from stone to stone, moving along through the day, and then go back to our "home base.” The next day, we set out to do the same. The water may be flowing a little differently, and we may need to choose different stones to step on from the previous day. Then there are the days when the current is high, and the stones we were planning on stepping to aren't available to us, and we have to choose different stones. This may require us to take big leaps. Big leaps are exciting. We stand on the edge and assess what is required of us to get to the next stepping stone. Fear and self doubt come in. Will we make it or will we fall in, and get all wet? Once we feel ready, we take our big leap. The act of making the leap is invigorating. There is a little adrenaline rush, and when we successfully land on our stepping stone, we experience a sense of euphoria and accomplishment. When we miss our landing, that adrenaline rush helps us to get back up, and try again. 

Have you been wanting to take big leaps, and create changes in your life? Do you get held back by self-doubt, fear or not knowing what direction to take? Often, people see where they are, and they have an idea of where they want to be, but they get caught up in how to get there, because they are trying to leap from one side of the creek to the other without leaping to the stepping stones in between.  If you are feeling stuck, stop to look at the stones before you, and choose the one that is in reach.
 
 

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