I found this bit of writing from two years ago. It still holds true today.
I love when I have a task that requires little to no brainpower. I look forward to these jobs since I never know, without having a mental need, where my thoughts will wander. Today I had one of those tasks – moving a woodpile. I let my thoughts wander, and I ended up with a life lesson. This was one of those lessons that made me wish that I was back in the classroom so I could share it with my students.
This morning we had a half-cord of wood dropped in our driveway. One never really understands how much this involves until the truck lifts its open box bed and the gate opens and out tumbles the wood. So there sat this pile that now had to be moved to the backyard into the woodshed. I looked forward to the exercise and lack of brainpower required.
I started the move. Back and forth, fill the arms, drop the wood, turn around and head back to start. After 1000 trips, okay I may exaggerate. After 999 trips (hey! It’s my story), I started looking at the pile and wondering why it was not getting any smaller. 50 more trips and there it stood. (NO! Before my “friends” make comments, I was not carrying one piece at a time.) I let out a sigh and started back to what was starting to take on the role of my nemesis.
It was at this moment that a thought popped into my head comparing this task with so many tasks, goals, jobs or other items that require work. All of the mentioned items can quickly become something dreaded and become things to quit instead of seeing through to completion – all because of this wood pile.
Each time I walked out of the shed and turned toward the woodpile, I saw the same amount of wood waiting for me as when I started. It did not shrink. At least that was the appearance. I knew that if I turned around in looked into the woodshed that I would see the fruits of my labor. The pile of wood was proof that I was getting somewhere. However, I was staring at a pile that maintained the same level as when I grabbed the first log. I started to wonder if someone was pranking me by adding wood to the pile. Then it hit me…..
The pile had gone down since the first trip. The issue wasn’t that someone was adding to the pile, it was my point of view – my perspective. I was looking at the pile from the side. A very wide pile to start with that was about the same height all the way across. From where I stood, I could see only the height and the width. I could not see it from the side in which I had been pulling the wood. Without a full view, it looked the same. If I have been able to see the pile from above, I would have seen the difference in the size of the task.
I started to think of other areas of my life in which I had allowed my lack of ability to see from other views that caused me to quit. My first attempt at college, my second book, weight loss, all items I gave up because they seemed impossible.
So what would I teach my students? Stop looking at problems, jobs, assignments from one side. I would tell them to make sure that they walk around and look down as well. The other thing I would tell them, something I forgot to do today, would be to look at what you have completed. I quickly dropped the wood turned and headed back. I should have stopped to appreciate how much wood I had already moved. The same needs to be done with everything you do – when you have something that takes time and effort, make sure that you stop and appreciate what is done. This can be done with anything, even weight loss. All too often I check the scale to see a drop of a pound here, two there, but as soon as I turn around and see the mirror, all I see is the task left to be done.
So there is the life lesson I received by moving wood.
PS – A second lesson I learned is be willing to ask for help. Had someone been walking down the street, I would have offered cash to get assistance with the task.