Why does everything have to happen NOW?

by Darren Scherbain

My face instantly lit up when Kurt told me that there were more trees for me to chop in his garden. I’ll be over this afternoon I told him …. “Hold on”, he continued, “it’s not ready to be spilt yet.“

When did getting plugged in to EVERYTHING become the required speed at which we hustle through our day? Everything has to happen… NOW!

Keeping up to speed with the THEM or THAT and so worried about falling behind can lead to more frustration and disconnection.

Here are three lessons I have learned with spending some time with Kurt in his garden:

1) Patience
You need to know when it’s time to harvest and when the wood is not ready to be split. A rock solid foundation starts with the fundamentals. It’s real easy to be in such a rush to get THERE. It makes no sense from a mechanical perspective to place a load on a foundation that cant support it. If you can’t appreciate HERE what makes you so sure you will appreciate THERE?

2) Blisters
Success isn’t getting THERE unscathed. Success is making sure that when you get rubbed you are still aligned with your integrity and values. Guess what? Trying to be perfect didn’t prevent the blisters from swinging the axe. Each time we rub the blister, it causes a lot of irritation. The great thing about blisters is the formation of fortified skin. Stronger and more resilient.

3) Being Fit is Being Useful
Money is not the ultimate currency. The ultimate currency is standing in your presence and being engaged with the humanity around you. Sharing a conversation and cup of coffee with another human being. Being quiet, still and listening to another person. We talk a lot about being extremely generous with you spirit, and part of that is knowing that the art of swinging an axe is knowing when to let it rest on your shoulders and listen.

I’m extremely grateful for having some amazing men in my life who can teach me a few very important lessons of true strength.