A big stick!
You’re safe, I’m not going to hit you with this big stick!
Do you remember the Stephen Covey quote “When you pick up one end of the stick, you pick up the other.”
Many years ago, whilst walking home with our golden Labrador Shane, he found a big stick and was determined to carry it all the way home. A fence with a narrow opening became a massive problem for Shane. Carrying the stick, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get through, as the stick was longer than the narrow opening in the fence. Several attempts at manoeuvring his head and his body in different directions, proved unsuccessful – he couldn’t do it. Eventually, I took the stick from his mouth, carried it through the fence and gave it back to him on the other side.
I have never forgotten that experience with Shane. I remember watching him try over and over again. It was only when I intervened, was the obstacle overcome.
So it is with all of our choices in life.
We are free to choose our actions – “you pick up one end of the stick” but if we think that those choices are simply isolated to us alone – we are mistaken “you [also] pick up the other [end of the stick]”.
Both ends of the stick came with Shane that day. The consequences quickly followed.
What are the consequences of whatever “stick” you choose to action and pick up today?