Lessons from the Penguins

A friend posted a video of penguins sliding on ice and even falling down several feet of rock then standing up and shaking it off.

I would have thought that penguins would have developed grips on their flippers to prevent this from happening. Instead they have thick skin and strong, yet flexible, skeletal structure.

It got me to looking at my own failings and strengths. Where do I look for stability, where what I have is resilience? Why don't I see that as strength. It is not that I won't fall, but that I am strong enough to get back up. That is it's own kind of strength. Perhaps there are times when I am more careful, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try.

So, what ledge have I avoided because I fear the fall? Submitting my writing? Taking the next class to get my degree? Organizing the paper work? Taking a real look at what's left undone?

Letting go of the stuff has been easy, so far. It's been stuff with no real meaning to any one. Now I am going through things that give me pause to think of someone or some time. These things are harder to let go.

Coupled with the discouragement of realizing, for all I've done, not one room is finished.

It's been tough to get motivated to do anything. Ironic, isn't it.

So I do a little, for some is better than none. 10 things.
1) The junk mail that never should have made it in the house, out to recycling
2) The beans that refused to cook, out to compost
3) The sale items that people said they would get, but haven't arranged for.
4) The paperwork from work that has to be kept, but not in the office, boxed
5) Bathroom cleaned
6) Seed starters assembled and put with garden tools
7) Books searched on book buying site. Those they'll take put aside. The rest in the car to go to the library.
8) Dishes put away
9) Sale items taken out to the garage
10) Blog written

Done. Going to go enjoy the day.

Some days you can scale a cliff. Some days you fall on your tail and have to bounce back up and start again.
Both are days of strength building. Shake it off and go on. Lessons from the penguins.