THE GRAIN OF SAND IN YOUR SHOE (By a friend's request)

By a friend's request, I'm bringing here an old post in the blog written way back when I was yet new in the blog world. She further added that she's hoping that the insights she had gained from it then would resurrect itself once more. Cos somewhere there through her life journey she had lost it. A simple request I couldn't turn down and won't. So here it is, dear friend, and whatever it is you're going through.... hang in there.
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THE GRAIN OF SAND IN YOUR SHOE

'Shoe…shoe…’ cried out the little boy to his mother. She immediately took the little one to the safer side of the pavement; bent over to his shoe unlaced it and peeked inside to see what the problem was. Out poured grains of sand! As what mothers would naturally do, she got rid of it made sure there was nothing left inside the shoe and then helped the kid put his shoe back on again.

I was watching the whole thing a few meters away from where I stood at the bus terminal waiting for my ride. The scene brought to my mind this thought.......   what is it about small things that they can make you cry and stop your world for a moment?!

Certainly having grains of sand or a pebble in my shoe would surely be quite prickly and hurt my foot, just like the kid. More so would it would irritate, vex, anger me, and potentially turn my otherwise happy frame of mind askew.. out of kilter. That in itself would take care of the rest of the day for me – ruined for sure!

Let’s take that over to the bigger picture of life.

What are those things which bog you down, divert you from your destination, annoy you, or make you rage with fury? What is it that makes you stop dead on your tracks or take you up to an immovable block that suddenly shows up? What would upset you so much and make you want to give up?

Plenty and you would be surprised to find out that a good number is made up of the small irritations or vexations of the day. How much more with the bigger issues of life and living which could keep you from moving forward or sometimes take you down to a full stop.

Altogether these can absolutely wear you down. No doubt about it cos no one can stay on tough and punching hard 24/7 through it all. Chaotic for anyone there for sure. Well, nobody said it was going to be easy. Instead we have been distinctly forewarned by those around us that things may even get tricky, tougher, risky, thorny, uncertain, and vague. True enough life is truly everything that’s been said about it... and even so much more.

I had my share of it just like everyone else. I battled issues and concerns, big and small, and have cried buckets. I got beaten and tired, worn-out ... thinking I can't go on.

But Mom would insist that it is at this particular point that one must pull one's self together and stand up mighty, strong, and tall. And I replied obviously hurting 'with what?'. She replied with her usual quiet wisdom......  -- With a clear understanding of this …..

"It isn't the mountains ahead that wear you out,

it's the grain of sand in your shoe."

.. a quote she plucked out of somewhere (she was a voracious reader). And she was right;  it sure is wisdom that hits you straight to the core -- It’s the nitty-gritty business of’ pursuing or chasing a battle -- goal or -- dream that almost always shakes us hard. Yet hard as it may be, one must push one's self even harder --- deal with it, cope with those vexations, fight back with everything that one is and with everything one has. And somewhere there is revealed the strength which one thought wasn’t there at all..... nor seen before.

And last but certainly not the least, remember that we have been fully equipped for tough jobs by a wise and loving Benefactor.  So then what to do? Simply dig deep within yourself and retrieve that power just waiting to be called forth to do its job. It's right in there. Give it life! And start living.
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Blessings, everyone!