"Rise up, and don't you fall down again,
Rise up, it's time we break the chains,
I try to fly so high, up to the sky...
...My dream is to fly over the rainbow, so high,
My dream is to fly, over the rainbow so high."
- Yves Larock [Rise Up
]
]The following post was originally published as a Facebook Note on November 29, 2008. It was predicated on Cock and Bull Stories on Ken Njuguna Ngishili's blog, a place to go for inspirational and reflective posts any day.
Following are some enduring excerpts:
One day, I decided to quit. I wanted to quit my job, to quit my relationships, to quit my spirituality; I even wanted to quit my life. I went to the woods to have one last talk with God. “God”, I said. “Can you give me one good reason not to quit?”
His answer surprised me. “Look around”.....
“When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light. I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo.” ....
.... “In the fourth year, again, there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit.”
“Then. in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just 6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge they could not handle.” He said to me.
“Did you know, my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots? I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you! Don’t compare yourself to others. The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern. Yet they both make the forest beautiful. Your time will come,” God said to me. “You will rise high”.
... “Yes.” He said, “Give me glory by rising as high as you can. And remember.. I will never leave you, nor forsake you. I will never give up on you. I will never, ever quit on you.”
What do you think?
P.S: Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth.
* * *
I like to think about the man in the arena... whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly...
In essence, he rises again.
Read more about: ambition, aspirations, bamboo, Inspiration, parables, rise up, yves larock
