Burning Bridges

Blessings, Burdens, Balancing & Bridges

With my birthday and New Years within a few weeks of each other, I always find myself reflecting on the past year to assess what the year has taught me.  The four words above kept repeating in my mind. So this is how interpret these four words and what they meant for my 2015.

Blessings - Everyone wants to be blessed with the things we desire, but most don't realize is that a blessing is not free and often comes with responsibility. For example:

1. You got a new house, but now you have a mortgage and a house to maintain

2. You wanted a spouse, but now you have to be a husband/wife and put someone else ahead of yourself

3. You got the job, but now you have to work

4. You asked for wisdom, but that new perspective compels you to act and change 

What I've learned is to be careful what you ask for and to be clear about why you want certain things. If your motive in wanting something is focused on the short term then it will probably provide short term satisfaction and benefits.  If you are basing your decisions of what to pursue on the long term, then your chances of receiving long term satisfaction and benefits are greater.  I got a very important phone call some time ago and I remember the exact place that I received that call.  When I past by that place recently I asked myself what don't I have the same enthusiasm now over what that call blessed me with vs. when I received it?

Burdens - The reason is because what that call blessed me with has now become a burden and no longer feels like a blessing.  I believe there are two reasons why a blessing can become a burden:

1. Being irresponsible with and mismanaging your blessing 

2. Becoming complacent and not moving on to the next blessing when you have outgrown the current one.

Balancing - This year has really taught me that life is truly a balancing act.  It's impossible to do it all and it's difficult just to manage the few highest priorities in your life.  When you lose control of your responsibilities and mismanage your life everything can feel like a burden; even those things that sustain your life.  I've learned to put first things first and focus on the things that will benefit my life in the most meaningful way.  I'm not saying to let other important things fall apart, but you must be clear about what provides an immediate benefit vs. what will impact your life long term.  Then adjust your focus accordingly.

Burning Bridges - I have realized that even a blessing has a shelf life.  Blessings are like milestones for me and the experience between one to the next are the bridges that connect them.  I don't believe we are ever meant to hold on to one blessing forever and never reach for the next.  When we remain complacent with one blessing we never cross the bridge to get to the next.  Burning bridges is an act that people tend to avoid in order to maintain a connection to something that might be a useful resource in the future.  For example, when I searched for a picture to use for this post I found images that mostly stated in some way DON'T BURN BRIDGES.  Bridges symbolize and provide access.  It can be a dangerous scenario when your past has open access to your present and future.  You can find yourself anchored to past blessings when the bridge that connected you the current is still intact.  Burning bridges is some times a necessary evil to move into and protect future blessings. 

So for 2016 I'm ready to move into new blessings, put first things first to balance my highest priorities and burn any bridges that will anchor and prevent me from reaching the next milestone in my life.  I hope you will do the same.