See the Firewood in Your Forest?

We all know those people who can see disaster or create chaos in anything they touch. They ooze negativity, no matter what the topic of conversation. We can usually take them in short bursts of time, with long stretches of positive binges in between visits. Good news is we know what we are going to get when we see them coming. I thought of these people when I read this English Proverb:

Some men go through the forest and see no firewood.

– English Proverb

I am not one of these people. Oh sure, things set me off and I can get negative with the best of them; however, negativity is not my go to. I see opportunity, I see an abundance of firewood in the forest. Almost to the point of being overwhelmed by the plethora of options. My mind starts spinning with ideas, projects, furniture that could be built, houses that could be constructed, boats to float across the seas, wall treatments, or even toys for children to enjoy. All made out of wood. OH! It’s such fun to see, believe and dream big!

I do see the value in the practical vision. Someone who breaks down the elements needed to complete the project. The one who can keep us on track, nudge us towards success, or even keep us in line. I can highly relate to the dreamers and the idea people. I have a hard time with the negative ones who can’t see the firewood for the forest. I am astounded by their inability to “see” anything other than bird poop. So which one are you? Which way do you lean? (no tree pun intended!) Maybe you are some combination of all three?

There is great comfort and wisdom in knowing ourselves well enough to understand which way we lean. AND, whether we like it or not, each of these viewpoints bring value to our lives. The negative one grounds us to a reality we might not want to face. They point out the pitfalls and remind us that things will grow wrong. The organizer keeps us on track and on budget. They make sure we deliver on what we said we would/could do. And the dreamer is usually the one who gets us excited in the first place. They ignite our ideas and passions and keep us motivated when all we hear about is being over budget and all the bird poop.

Today I ask you to think about the last time you were in the forest. What did you see? Bugs, bird poop, smelly trees? Did you see the way to build a path for everyone else to make it through the forest safely? Or did you see gardens, fodder for art projects or paintings yet to be painted? Or did you see layers of all of that? Or were you too burdened by your troubles that you saw nothing?

The way we handle our world is determined by what we see, by what we choose to focus on each and every day. Today I ask you to see firewood and the potential your life holds. It may not feel like there is lots of potential, or you can only see the hurdles to get to the end…or you may see and feel nothing….yet potential there is indeed. Take the time to sit quietly, or walk through a forest in silence to “see” the potential right in front of you. Don’t let fear or practicality prevent you from believing that there is an abundance of possibilities in your own life…see the firewood in your forest!