Several years ago, as I was struggling in a relationship, a friend shared an analogy with me that changed my life forever. I reflect often upon it and hope that in sharing it today, you will find something that speaks to your experience and applies to the walking of your life.
When we were young, the sandbox was our heaven and we were its masters! Anything we created therein came into existence through the creative powers of our imagination and the workings of our hands.
When we were little children and the sandbox lay before us, what did we do? Did we talk ourselves into playing, in our heads? Did we argue with ourselves? Did we put it off until later? Did we wonder if we knew how to play? Or if we would get hurt in playing and stop short?
No, we did not. We stepped into the sandbox and played with abandon.
Now we must step into the sandbox of life and play with abandon. That is how we experience life. That is how we love others. That is how we accomplish our dreams. Step in… and play with abandon.
In order to be truly happy, we must step into the sandbox of life with others. Alone, we can only create so much. Together, we can create and accomplish virtually anything. We must, however, be careful about the sandboxes we choose to step into. All sandboxes and all invitations are not created equal!
Everything in our lives is an embodied invitation to step into something greater than ourselves. The people in our lives are embodied invitations to step in and play. Will we step into the sandbox and play with them and create a world together? Or will you remain on outside looking in? Or will you week another sandbox? It is your choice.
Use care and judgement in choosing which sandboxes you will step into, but remember this: if you decide not to jump into a sandbox, accepting the invitation inherent therein, do so for good cause–not because of your own fears. Happiness can never come from giving into fear, but only in overcoming it.
Maybe you are being invited into a new relationship, to seek out or start a new job, to pursue a different career, to go back to school, to form a new habit, or any one of a million other things… Whatever the invitation before you, remember that every experience and opportunity presented us in life is an opportunity to either enlarge our sandbox or to step into a new sandbox and continue on our way. All I pray is that you continue to stay in the sandbox! Do not stand by and watch others play in the sandboxes of life! Step into those before you–or seek out new sandboxes to step into–and play with abandon!
Today is but a stepping-stone on the path of your future.
Where will you step next?
What will be your contribution to yourself, to your family, to your community, and to the world?
Which sandbox will you enter, create, or contribute to next?
What will you create? Will you step into the sandbox of life and play with abandon? Which invitations will you accept, and with whom?
As you go forward from here on your way, remember that every step you take is marked for all to see–at least for a time. Mark out a path toward the future you seek to live. Continue walking forward, and let your footprints in the great sandbox of life be an invitation to others, as they too continue on their way toward their dreams.
