“A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her.” – David Brinkley
I really like this comment on many levels. First off…we often dodge that which is thrown at us, don’t we? It is an instinctual reaction. We go into preservation mode, get defensive, and try to block that which we perceive as “harmful.” Yet through experience, not to mention the wisdom and tutoring of others, we discover the truth of these words.
Secondarily, this week’s statement mirrors a core strategy found in Aikido. A Japanese martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba. The core strategy of Aikido is identical; use the attacker’s own energy against them. Come to think of it, great debaters harness this power to great affect as well, by seizing the words of their opponents and re-shaping them to strengthen their own position and hopefully further their agenda.
Finally, at the religious level…perhaps this IS exactly why bad things happen to good people. God is more interested in growing you than anything else. Every obstacle that stands in your way, every “brick” that is thrown, is an opportunity to demonstrate your spirituality…by catching rather than deflecting; harnessing rather than trashing, and ultimately reshaping and building upon the great foundation of humanity, which is…LOVE. That is the GLORY of GOD. Will you fall short today? Probably! But that you tried, in God’s eyes, is a glorious thing.
I, of course, wish you blessings and much success in your “building!”
