Challenges Create Character

Once upon a time, is how all good stories start so let's start this one that way.

Somewhere in my memories are thoughts about hard times. How about having to leave the library table that Grandmother brought from Norway behind so that the weight of the wagon isn't too hard to get up the mountain side? Or how about not having enough water for everyone and having to shoot the worst of the horses so that the rest could make it? Maybe wondering what to feed everyone when everything was used up? Burdock root soup again? Going through wooded areas where the trees were so dense that we couldn't find enough grass to feed the stock and had to kill the cow to keep the horses alive. The first major river took the books that I liked. Having to go the last 200 miles on foot and getting to the point that you didn't care if you made it or not? The dishes that were given to us for a wedding gift were traded for salt about 500 miles back.

Life is full of things like that. I think everyone that I know has done it, maybe not in this lifetime but they have.

It is hard holding onto a goal that gets to feel like it isn't worth the effort. And a lot of people did give up on the trail. This life isn't for the weak. You have to be strong to endure.

Do you have these memories? I do. I know about all the lessons that were there. One that I carry is that people are more important than things. I have revisited that lesson many times. Sometimes to my regret when the person you have put faith in decides to give up. They all start out on the voyage with big plans and big expectations but when it doesn't fit the plan that they had, they cave in and need to be carried. I haven't minded carrying someone until they recover and get their feet under them but the ones who feel that they deserve to be carried really bother me.

Life is about struggle. Everyone has to make decisions. Having to figure out a plan B and sometimes it even comes down to Plan Z but we are still trying to work it out. Some settled for much less than they had planned but found that the struggle isn't as hard that way. They had set their goals too high and were forever finding blocks to getting there. After settling for a lesser goal, they were much happier.

When one is finding the way too steep, it is time to scout around and find an easier way up and over. Many times this adds time and miles to our plans but life is a little less challenging.

There will always be things in your path to create blocks to easy access but how you deal with these things determines your character.