It landed on the stonewall right in front of us. I found myself watching it’s every move and realized Paul was just as mesmerized by the wasp when he raised his hand to block the sun, casting a shadow over it. He wondered what it would do, “because,” he said, “they see in a different spectrum of light to humans.” We continued to track its movements along the wall as it moved in and out of every little crevice, eventually stopping to clean the antennas that seemed to be doing all the reconnaissance work.
I looked up. The vista in front of us was beautiful. We had spent the last hour and a half hiking to the top of Crab Tree Falls. They are said to be the most beautiful set of waterfalls in Virginia and the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. The hike, though long, was pleasant even when a little steep in places. We were now enjoying the rest and the view - at least until the wasp came along.
As my gaze moved between the wasp right in front of me and the next ridgeline of mountains across the valley, about two miles as the crow flies, I started thinking about goals. When we set ourselves goals we need to have that long-term view – the beautiful two-mile vista of where we hope to end up. Yet at the same time, despite the beauty laid out before us those mountains seemed so far away.
The wasp, however, was right here. This was happening in the moment. I could grasp what he was up to, relate to his closeness, and feel more at ease with his presence. The wasp represents our short-term goals. Those that we feel we have some control over and can get done, today, tomorrow or at least within the next week or so.
But we need both to make a dream a reality. We need to know where we hope to end up and we need to map out the steps that we have to take in order to reach there. If you only look at the end it will seem too far away and too hard to reach. And if you concentrate on only the smaller steps in front of you they will consume you, take all your time and you will forget the bigger picture.
I know with chronic pain there is no end to the pain but you can still have goals and dreams that are achievable. The fact is you have the choice to stay at home mired in misery or get up and do something toward achieving your goal. The pain may slow you down and it may add a few more steps to your overall plan but every step helps to distract you from the pain.
You will end up with a life worth living and one that brings value, not only to you, but also to those around you. What are your dreams? How can you redesign or redefine your goals based on your pain levels? What adjustments will you have to make? Take some time to contemplate and consider where you want to be in life.
I’d love to hear from you. Share your dream, leave me a message on Facebook.