The Sooner We Learn This, The Better Off We'll Be

A few days ago, Kathy and I went for a ride to one of our favourite farm markets to stock up on apples...I should say, restock.

This is one of our favourite things to do and this day did not disappoint; and you won't believe many apples you can fit on a Goldwing when you're determined.

On our way back we stopped at a local river to watch the salmon swimming upstream. Struggling, climbing, falling back and fighting for the next level of the ladder before finally reaching their destination.

Half the fun is listening to Kathy cheering them on. Then yelling, "Oh no!!" with every failed attempt. It's like cheering on your favourite sports team.

What struck me as we watched these fish fight with everything they had, was this.

The Struggle Didn't Stop Them From Fighting to Succeed

I don't know a lot about salmon, (for the longest time I didn't realize they could live in fresh water) but I understand that they are swimming upstream to return to where they were born in the first place, to then begin the spawning process to create the next generation.

They do this by instinct, but also by use of their sense of smell and the earth's magnetic fields to return home.

Think about it. After a year of surviving in the rivers, lakes and oceans, they then turn round and against every obstacle, including the 30-40 people we saw fishing on Monday, they give everything they have to return to where they were born. (And some of us don't even want to go home for Thanksgiving dinner...but that's for another day)

My point is this; the struggle the salmon face in doing what they were created to do, didn't stop them from doing it. In fact, they anticipate the struggle and still go back every year. And when life get's hard for us, we should actually anticipate it, and still pursue what we are created to do.

We shouldn't be surprised by how hard life is.

"Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you." 1 Peter 4:12

We shouldn't be surprised by the difficult times we go through, and we should actually expect them.

If we believe our lives should be smooth sailing and without struggle, when the hard times come (and they will) we might be prone to respond with confusion, anger, disappointment and even despair. Then all our energies are directed at the struggle rather than on our purpose.

So take a lesson from the salmon, and don't let the struggle distract you from what you're doing and where you're going.

Q. How have you been able to keep going even in the face of hard times?

Q. Where are you facing your greatest struggle today?

If I can help, then reach out to me...let's talk.

Until next time - Dan