Digging Through Life

Two brothers once decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of other boys stopped by to watch.

“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “We’re going to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers volunteered excitedly.

The other boys began to laugh, telling the brothers that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders and worms and insects and interesting stones. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors. Then he said confidently, “Even if we don’t dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”

Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for – to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to set us to digging!

But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavour will be completed. Not every dream will be realized. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!”

It is in the digging that life is lived. And it is the joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters!