In her book Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert encourages us to be receptive to the thoughts and ideas that present themselves to us. Otherwise, they may eventually move on to someone else who is willing to create something from them.
That suggestion resonates with me. I have shared with friends my belief that God talks to me at the library. Not out loud, you understand. I’m not hearing voices. But so often the right book for me at that moment has been angled out on display by the librarians. Such was the case with Big Magic. Was I searching for a book on creativity last week? No. But there it was, pulled out from the pack at eye level on the library shelf. I have learned that it benefits me to take the leap of faith that I’m intended to find a specific book on a specific day.
Liz Gilbert makes another point by paraphrasing one of my favorite quotes by Richard Bach: “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.” In the past I have shared that quote with a niece, my grandsons, and others. Two weeks ago, I included it in an email to a student who had been despairing because he was the youngest and most inexperienced person in the class. I encouraged him to see his age (Wow! You’re young!) and his inexperience (Think of all the lessons you can learn!) to be positives instead of negatives.
So yesterday when I stopped at the printers to pick up my business cards, what other reaction could I have but to smile and nod my head when I read the message on their day-at-a-time calendar propped up on a tall reception desk:
Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours. – Richard Bach
I snapped the above photo on my way out the door.Please notice that this was the message for Thursday the 12th, not Friday the 13th when I was there. Gee, I wonder who forgot to flip over the calendar to the “correct” day’s message?
So pay attention, everyone! Don’t feed your beliefs about your limitations. Take on this new message: Argue for your POSSIBILITIES, and sure enough, they are yours!
To my readers: Share a story of overcoming a self-perceived limitation.
