Lift Up
The world is pretty big. Most big things can be overwhelming. Even big cakes; we love ultra-tall wedding cakes and awe at their ability to stay stacked up and not lean or fall over. But even cake can’t be enjoyed until it is cut into little slices. Mountain climbers seem to understand that with preparation and help, even the steepest peaks can be conquered. But only with continuous climbing. Step by step. When the climber gets to the summit, they can take a moment to celebrate the glory of getting there. Until they see another mountain to climb nearby. Humans essentially like to stay in motion in some way.
Heavy Lifting
Some aspects of life are heavier than others. We tend to think of these as more negative and feel them in our hearts. But the times of joy deserve the same acknowledgement. They are lighter which makes them drift away faster. But I really like the after-effects of lifting heavier weights because that is how I keep my muscles stronger. That’s why we learn more from the tests in life than the carnival days. The thought of strolling around with cotton candy and riding with abandon on creaky metal with crowds of other humans is a respite. The light lifting gives us a break from the effort of weight that turns stress into strength. Ounce by ounce, pound by pound, the workout has a good result over time. We don’t notice the change until we do. But even the heavy lifting raises our spirits eventually. Hearts can feel especially heavy at times. But they keep on beating.
Accessing the Lift
Importance is not measured by the amount of good you do in the world. Each of us can create our own amount of good by accessing what is right in front of us. There is no need to go for the biggest, boldest, most remarkable impact to be in everyone’s plan. The daily duty of lifting up what is directly in your eyesight should not be overlooked just because it is not saving the world. If each of us looked squarely at our little corner each day and just lifted that section, we would all make the best impact together. There is no rational need to skip the little parts of life. Some of them are as heavy as mountains. Others are as light as feathers. But they are all available for attention. Since resources differ for everyone, each of us can be called to do our own part.
Lift for life
The best part of lifting in life is the fact that it is so personal. Choosing the smallest opportunity leads to larger chances. Once we get used to the joy of participating in uplifting others in the world, it is natural to want to repeat it again and again. When others see your efforts, they feel permitted to tap into that part of themselves that wants to give, and they start to access it. Humans often do better when they see how someone else does life. Tap into the shared desire to get more results in more instances of heavy lifting than wasting time waiting for leaders to tell us where to start. We like to do it ourselves anyway. So, if it is time for you to start a better plan to improve the world, start right where you are. Take a breath, take a step and lift.
Change over time is difficult to see until it goes unobserved for a while. What can you do to make a deliberate small change that will result in a noticeable change in the future? Does your life feel like heavy lifting? Can you insert some lighter lifting into your personal program?
