Build a Road

"You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don't try to forget the mistakes, but you don't dwell on it. You don't let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space." - Johnny Cash

I was driving home from work one day and came upon some construction workers. They were bricklayers piecing together an intricate stone wall. It was interesting to watch them and I had the time to do so. There was road construction ahead and stopped traffic, so I sat there watching.

As the bricklayers did their work, complaint was bubbling up inside of me with the annoyance of delay. It could have been quite easy to fall into the trap of getting upset about the situation. So I turned my focus to watching these men as they built their wall.

The bricklayers picked up each unique piece of stone and carefully laid it within the wall. Each piece was selected in order to fit and complete another section of the wall.

Do we build walls in our lives by using complaints and disappointments?

In relationships, we take little dissatisfactions with each other and place it on our wall. These are the small stones of objection, petty differences or disagreements added to the construction. Soon we find we have built a wall between ourselves and the other person. It may seem like we are trying to build a majestic wall when in reality it will be a wall that separates us.

We may not even realize the wall has been built until such time we can no longer see beyond it. At this point we may come to our senses and begin the process of tearing it down. But some of us will choose to cap the wall and finish the separation, walling ourselves off forever. It is a choice eventually made.

Know that these walls do not build themselves.

We are the ones who create and choose which stones to use. Maybe it is time we choose to use those stones differently. Maybe instead of using them to build a wall, we choose to build a road on which we walk, leaving the stones of discontent behind us. Maybe we let the complaint go and lay a path to better relationships instead of walls.

I never had the opportunity to see how the completed wall looked. I am sure it was going to be a majestic wall. It would be a wall that would enclose all within.

For me, I had a road being built ahead of me.

A road which will lead me past those walls that would seek to confine my life. A road that enables me to leave all the complaints and disappointments behind. A road built to carry my relationships, my dreams and my life to greater places.

Do not use your complaints, disagreements and disappointments as material for a wall. All that creates is confinement in your life.

Take the stones and build a road to your future.

Use it stone pavers for the road you are constructing for your life. Put up a sign in your life that says "Road Construction" and see where you can take your life; a far greater place for sure.

Stay inspired my friends!