Tag: #challenges

BOILING WATER: FACING LIFE’S CHALLENGES

karenringalls13 Comments

Each time I am faced with a challenge, I think of the analogy to carrots, eggs, and coffee beans in boiling water. The carrot enters the water strong, tough, and firm, but once it is in boiling water, it will become soft and easily mashed.

The egg has a fragile shell and its liquid insides easily spread thin. After being boiled in water, the outer shell requires more force to crack, and what was once liquid is now hardened.

A coffee bean gains strength and hardness from the tree. It likes tropical weather with lots of rain, the thin air in the mountains, and the warm sun. The bean needs boiling water to become a cup of coffee.

When faced with a challenge, struggle, or problem, Initially, I am like the cooked carrot that weakens and loses resolve. I do become firmer and more resolute, like the hard-boiled egg. As I reach acceptance, I do become the coffee bean that tries to be a better person and rise to a higher level.

My current challenge is adult-onset macular degeneration. I have had it for about 8 years, but now it is advancing. Writing, reading, and watching television are each more difficult. I have not been as active on my blog, supportive of other blogs I follow, nor read as many books. I went through the grieving process and came to acceptance of my new life. Therefore, I am making changes on my computer, using very large fonts in my Kindle, and having better time management. Your prayers and understanding are appreciated.


	


				
	






	
	

		
PATHS OF LIFE
	


	
					

			 karenringalls2 Comments		

	
	


		








Sometimes our paths are full of sharp stones…we might feel physical, emotional, or spiritual pain as we travel this path. With each step we have the choices:





    

  • Put on shoes that will protect our feet (symbolically shoes that give us security, assuredness, or strength)
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  • Use a walking stick or cane (symbolically giving us balance and protection)
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  • Find a smoother path (choose to change your behavior, thoughts, and emotions that might be causing you pain).
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Our path may be steep and rugged, leaving us tired and breathless.





    

  • We exhaust ourselves in every aspect by trying to live a life that might not be right for us.
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  • Perhaps we have taken a path because of family or social pressure.
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  • Or, we have chosen the path because we see great financial rewards that might be hard to ignore. 
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  • It is time to choose a path that fills our souls with joy and completeness regardless of what other people may say or the financial rewards.
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If a giant boulder appears in our path we may want to give-up





    

  • One must understand what the boulder represents: fear of failure or fear of ridicule.
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  • Is the boulder removable by changing our fear into believing in ourselves?
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  • Is there a path around the boulder…perhaps find support from others
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When there is a fork in the road, we must make a decision that can cause fear and hesitancy. We might ask ourselves if we choose the wrong path. 





    

  • I might learn from choosing a path that is not the right one…that is okay.
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  • I might learn that another path was the right one…and that is okay also.
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  • If we learn something good from each path…then that is good.
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Throughout our lives, we will walk many paths. Each path will have a purpose: something for us to learn. The purpose of each path is to make us kinder, more generous, and more loving individuals if we learn to use our inner strengths. We can reach our mountaintops if we take each step with openness to learning and love for ourselves and others as the purpose.





Follow your dream…take the steps. Achieve your dreams by climbing to the top of your mountain which is your fulfilled life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvDFoF9sfQA










	


				
	






	
	

		
From Pits to Triumphs
	


	
					

			 karenringalls21 Comments		

	
	


		

In my previous blog, I talked about removing the pits (challenges) from our bowl of cherries (our life). There are many books about this subject, but I have listed my two favorites. 





The best book to address this issue of rising above cultural, physical, or family limitations is Johnathon Livingstone Seagull by Richard Bach. The most important lessons Jonathon learned are:





  1. Be all you can be. Do not let imposed limitations stop you, but puruse to be the person you want to be. 
  2. Pursue your passion even though it might cause separation  from family, friends, or a familiar environment.
  3. Help others to be the people they want to be. 










Man’s Search for Meaning,  by Viktor Frankl is a biography about his life in a concentration camp and how he endured, survived, and learned from that experience. His message in simple terms is a person gets what he focuses on.










If you have never read these books, I encourage you to do so. They will help remove the pits at the same time you have the opporunity to learn from them.





A favorite saying is titled the 3 C’s: You must make the choice, to take a chance, or your life will never change. 






	


				
	






	
	

		
LIFE IS A BOWL OF CHERRIES…AND MORE
	


	
					

			 karenringalls25 Comments		

	
	


		

This popular phrase means that life is sweet and simple, but is it? Irma Bombeck pointed out in her book that a bowl of cherries might have a pit or two. Cherries are indeed sweet when fully ripened, but some can be sour.





Going back to my life’s quilt on the previous blog, there were pits in each patch. The biggest pit was the diagnosis of ovarian cancer, but it has turned out to bring amazing rewards and growth. Yes, cancer can have its positivity IF you choose to learn from it, help others, and be a role model for family and friends on how to face adversity. 





Being a parent has many rewards, some heartbreaks, and it challenges one’s patience, understanding, and coping abilities. Parenting is the most difficult and most rewarding role and one I would not trade for the world. 





https://www.amazon.com/Life-Like-Bowl-Cherries-Sometimes-ebook/dp





Sally Cronin wrote a wonderful book titled, Life is Like A Bowl of Cherries, Sometimes Bitter, Sometimes Sweet. I gave it 5 stars with the comment “each story will touch your heart, search your soul, and awaken your senses. 





Life is (or should be) about touching our hearts, searching our souls, and wakening our senses. The pits are opportunities to become better individuals. If your bowl of cherries has too many pits, perhaps they need to be removed by changes you can make. More about this in the next blog.