Never Give Up

Thoughts on The Traveler's Gift, Part 7

In Andy Andrews' The Traveler's Gift, David Ponder finds himself in a mysterious place with an archangel (not an angel, there is a difference) named, of course, Gabriel.

Gabriel says, "This is the place where we keep all teh things that were about to be delivered just as a person stopped working and praying for them."

What a said, unfortunate situation. What a horrible place, we might think. I wonder what's there of mine. I can imagine some things; others I would probably be very surprised to see there.

I've been giving a lot of thought to this matter lately, after re-reading The Traveler's Gift, for I think the third time.

Don't Bail Out Just Before the Miracle

There's a Marc Cohn song I think may be one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It's called "Willing to Wait for the Miracle." It's not a particularly fabulous song, in a lot of ways, but the message that "I'm willing to wait for the miracle" has always gone straight to that soft spot in my heart.

I like to think that I am willing to wait. I've been told often not to bail out five minutes before the miracle.

But sometimes I do, I know. Sometimes I decide, this is not working, and I go do something else.

In my life, I want to spend more time waiting for the miracle and less time wondering when it's coming.

What Do We Gain By Giving Up?

I've heard it said that everything we do has a payoff for us, and that is why we do it. I'm not so sure that EVERYTHING I do has a payoff that I'm even subconsciously awaare of. But I'm willing to entertain the idea that giving up on something we really want gives us something else, and that's why we're willing to do it.

At least for me, giving up offers these payoffs:

1. I don't have to worry about whether I'm going to succeed. I'm not. That question is answered for me.

2. I don't have to do the work. Usually by the time I give up I'm exhausted, physically and emotionally, and I need a long rest and some consolation.

3. I get consoled for it not working out.

4. I was right. I couldn't do it. I always thought maybe I couldn't, and I was right.

Practice the Art of Not Settling

I get something out of settling for less, or just giving up entirely. But I don't get what I need or want. I could get the rest and the consolation without giving up. I could stop wondering and know I could succeed. I could refuse to doubt myself.

I am learning to practice not settling for less than what I set out to get. And you know what? I'm getting it.

Keep Going

I'm in the middle of a huge project, and middles are not my best times. It's tempting sometimes to set it aside. It would be easy to decide it's not going to work. But this is my dream. I will continue.

Sometimes all you have to do to get what you want the most is just keep going. Sure, you have to keep doing things, keep working, keep pushing. But just keep on. That's all that's required. One step forward. Then another. Keep moving.

It works, but it's not always easy.