The New Year is here and time to make those resolutions. Some things we want to begin, some to say 'good-bye' to, and some to resume. Many people have mixed feelings about this time, and some just feel inadequate or overwhelmed. So, what do we do about this long standing tradition? It sort of reminds me of something that happened to a mouse.
Mouse was practicing persistence. He saw an open upright drain pipe, and thought it might make a nice place to live. He jumped toward the opening, but could not make it. He thought about the story he had heard the people talking about where the frogs had fallen into a bucket of milk and could not jump out. One of the frogs kicked and kicked until exhausted, and sank to the bottom of the bucket. But the other frog was persistent, and kept kicking until he churned the milk into butter, upon which he hopped and jumped out of the bucket.
So, mouse tried again. He jumped up but again fell back to the floor. He went around to another side of the pipe and tried again. He tried many times, running around the pipe to perhaps get a better advantage, and every time he fell back. Wiping the sweat from his whiskers. Mouse gathered up all his strength and jumped with all his might. He made it! He landed inside the pipe - the pipe which unfortunately for him led downhill 80 feet into an enclosed sewage tank.
Persistence. Which to be, the frog or mouse? That's a no brainer. But, how do we know if what we are persistent in doing is the beneficial, positive thing? That's the question.