The Long And The Short



Little Granddaughter stands on the bars of the gate.
Thirteen bullish and uncertain bovines skuffle in front of us.
'Hello cows,' she says, and blows from her nose as they do. One licks her shoe and is reprimanded. It looks at the floor: poor socially awkward bullock.
Today this child's confidence in life has caused a collision with the garden table. She remembers to run around it after this, but she runs, undaunted. We sprint round the currant bushes until dizziness knocks her over. Up she gets, panting, covered in grass.
'Again!'
Until Grandad picks her up to show her the bullocks in the field opposite. Then it's 'Oh wow. See cows? Come on Grandad. Nam-ma! Where's a doggle? Oh, come on: see cows.'
Not all of the words in her barrage are legible: it doesn't matter, because it's enough to get us to the field gate.

All the time I have been frowning over spreadsheets and scribbling marketing notes and biting my fingernails: oh, Nam-ma! All you needed to do was run into a table. Point at the cows. Don't fret if the short run doesn't get you right where you want to be. It’s the start of the right path.


'Don’t aim at success — the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side-effect of one’s dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one’s surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long run—in the long run, I say!—success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think of it.'

Victor Frankl



Comments

Suze said…
'She remembers to run around it after this, but she runs, undaunted.'

Tightness in the throat.

Your Frankl quote reminds me of what my Dad *always* says. Don't worry about the money. Do what you love. The money will come or it won't. But don't let that be what your life is about.

He's a rag man. He's been waist-deep in thrift all his life. I believe him. He does what he loves.
Bhavya N said…
To be carefree like the children; if only it was as easy to do as easy it is to say :)
Oh, a very enticing quote for many of us, I believe--and a delightful reminder made simple in the shape of a little one...
Lisa, I just gave you a Liebster award, entirely forgetting that you were just given one by Suze, non? Oof. Well, there are no questions to answer or the like, it is just a thank you for your incredible writing. :)
Best,
Heather

http://lostinarles.blogspot.fr/2013/05/small-beautifuls.html
Crystal Collier said…
It's so true. The times I entered a contest or tried something just for fun, not caring about the outcome, that's typically when I excel. Not saying you can't care about things, but it's important not to put so much weight on something that it will crush you if it doesn't go right.
Dixie@dcrelief said…
Brilliant quote... and I LOVE the drawing!!
Your granddaughter sounds adorable. Thanks for sharing the story.
Lisa Southard said…
Daddy Suze sounds fantastic (no surprise there!)
Bhav: practice daily and it gets easier :-)
Heather: your Liebster is most welcome- and your comments even more so- Thank you!
Crystal- weighting is crucial, indeed :-)
Dixie: my daughter drew that picture, many years ago, in one of my college sketchbooks. It beams :-)
Deanie- hard not to be adorable at 23 months old! I hope she keeps her enthusiasm for life.

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