Stop and think about our lives. How overwhelmed we are at times. How confused we sometimes become. How much we have to learn and to do.
And then think about this:
There are only 7 basic musical notes (A-G) and 12 keys on a piano that make up their entire range. There are only 26 letters in our alphabet. There are only 3 primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) plus white and black which totals 5. There are only 5 basic tastes that we recognize: sour, salty, sweet, bitter, and unami (a distinct savory taste that is different than saltiness).
And from these 48 items (12+26+5+5):
How many types of music and songs are there in the world? How many books, blogs, newspapers, magazines, poems, lectures and websites are there? How many colors do you find at a paint store, in a home, or in an art museum? How many different types of food, appetizers, snacks, ethnic treats, and deserts can you name?
You see it takes a long time to realize that while there is so much to learn in our lives we need so much less than we think in order to accomplish anything. That there are so many variations and subtleties in anything we experience that we must always be careful not to become too certain in what we see.
Above all, it should give us hope, that amidst all of this variation and diversity, we can find both our way and ourselves, by focusing on a few things, much like these examples, to also deliver so much.
If only we can find what is really important to build from within us. That is not a variation but rather a building block. To be strengthened. Developed and improved. That will bring consistency to our effort and our person. That will add value to not only what we do but what we choose to share.
Love, friendship, struggle, hardship, professional skill, strategic plans and life’s experiences (to name a few) all have infinite variations depending on who we meet, where we have been and what we want to accomplish.
Always remember that we are more the same than we think. Variations in life make for interesting stories. Developing ourselves more fully in the basic building block arenas of faith, love, discipline, respect, focus, patience, humility and knowledge will expand our lives in more ways than we could ever believe.
If only we had the courage to try and the patience to try again even when we fail.