Stones in The Road

This week, above all of the reading and videos we watched, I particularly enjoyed the chapters in “A Field Guide For the Hero’s Journey” by Jeff Sandefer and Rev. Rovert Sirico. Chapter 5, “Stones in the Road” stood out to me the most. I particularly liked the following quote by Theodore Roosevelt:

“In this life we get nothing save by effort. Freedom from effort in the present merely means that there has been some stored up effort in the past. A mere life of ease is not in the end a very satisfactory life, and, above all, it is a life which ultimately unfits those who follow it for serious work in the world….Let us therefore boldly face the life of strife, resolute to do our duty well and manfully; resolute to be both honest and brave, to serve high ideals, yet to use practical methods. Above all let us shrink from no strife, through hard and dangerous endeavor, that we shall ultimately win the goal of true…greatness”.

This quote was so motivating to me! There is opposition in all things so there will always be some strife, some trial to face. If for some reason things seem easy for a time I know it is because “there has been some stored up effort in the past” as Roosevelt said above. We are meant to face stones in the road and as much as I wish they weren't there I know ultimately they are good for us. We learn from them, we become more resilient and it is amazing the satisfaction that comes when we conquer them.