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From The North Star by Peter Reynolds
Every year I start by reading The North Star by Peter Reynolds to my class. I deeply love this story and the lessons within. I have a signed copy with a note from Peter Reynolds, it was a gift from a friend I made online. I cherish it. The story serves as a lesson in finding our own path. A child walks along a path following both signs and the advice of others. Along the way there are bumps, detours and increasingly difficult terrain to manage. As the boy travels further he seems to lose his way. Unsure of the next steps, unsure of the advice of others. Unsure. The boy looks for his own path, he looks to the stars and is guided to a new way, his way.
I have been thinking about this story, my favourite, for a few days now. After my interview last week and the subsequent messages from countless well-wishers (I really do appreciate that kindness) I started to wonder if I had indeed followed the wrong signs, taken the wrong advice. Perhaps I had followed the speedy rabbit who was not really paying attention to the signs saying WRONG WAY. Perhaps I was paying too much attention to the voices like the crow saying, "Keep Going" or even the frogs with only their perspective. I don't know, but I became unsure of what my next steps will be. I have been deep in the thick of the forest and it is time to look up at the stars.
I have been writing about my gratitude more lately. Trying to think positivity into existence to counter all the uncertainty, all of the negative that is out there. Some days it works, other days it doesn't. What has been helpful though is that reflection time. So today, after what was a long and truthfully uncomfortable at times week, I am sitting here, in the woods, but looking for the stars.
I have no idea where I am going, I have no idea where I will be. But I am looking up, I am looking for the guide to the right path. The path I am supposed to take. We all come to forks in the road or heck sometimes we come to whole utensil drawers but part of the journey is thinking about the choices and then taken that step.
I don't know the next step, I have hit the bumps this year for sure, I have ran into some detours. There are great people sending their encouragement to keep going forward and others giving me permission to sit, pause, breathe and decide. Figure it out. I appreciate both types of folks lifting me up in their own way.
The journey is long and I might be unsure of where to go next but I am looking up. The path will come and I just need to be sure of the decision.
Part of the fun.