The power of a broken plate:

It's weird, but when this plate broke, it hit me rather hard, leaving me with an unexpected emotional reaction.  You see, if you've eaten a meal at our table in the last 20-plus years, you were served food off of one of these plates.  I have to admit, when Tammy bought the set I wasn't happy. 

We were passing through Springfield Missouri on our way home from Oklahoma, returning from the Tulsa Soul Winning Workshop when Tammy went into a store I was unfamiliar with at the time, Tuesday Morning.  She came out with the complete set of dishes, including saucers, coffee cups, soup bowls, the whole kit & caboodle.  The last thing I wanted to do was load these up in our minivan. 

But, Tammy knew, if were were going to practice hospitality properly, we needed something presentable like these.  Over time, I grew to appreciate the set and I can admit, I'm truly glad Tammy picked the set up. 

When this plate broke, it reminded me instantly of the many friends and dozens of guests we had served meals to on these plates over the years.  The laughter, the tears, the comings & goings of life, all passed over these plates like a change of seasons.  We've bonded with people and shared life around a number of tables and in many rooms in several houses, meeting new friends and saying good bye to others, but all in the presence of these plates. 

It's amazing how something so simple as a broken plate has the power to remind one of the depth of fellowship and its role in our life.  I imagine over time, each of these plates will finally find their way to the garbage, but not before they leave their mark. 

When what we want, seems to elude us

I'm not sure why life refuses to promise us security or why it withholds any assurances of success.  The only guarantees in life seem to be, if you lick a frozen flagpole your tongue will stick, if you put your hand on a hot stove-top you'll get burned, and if all of your friends jump off a cliff, well you get the idea.

Relationships fall apart, factories close down, unanticipated sickness can strike -- all without notice.  Which seems to leave us with two choices.  Fight the stream or get swept away.

The reality is, hard work, doing the right thing, or simply having good intentions are insufficient for reaching all of your goals -- unscathed.  Having an inner ability to persist, to never give up, to have the grit to face defeat undeterred by our setbacks, this is rare and it still doesn't insure you will win.

Life is a struggle.  Charisma, self-confidence, or a great skill-set won't carry the day.

You have to ask yourself which is worse, not achieving your dreams or not even trying.  Most people cave under the pressure of everyday life, they won't even try in the face of the odds that are stacked against them.  Do you pity them, respect them, or want to be like them?

Maintaining hope requires an active but mature imagination, developing a strong will, and an ability to accept that failures and obstacles always pave the path leading to the finish line.  The voices of your childhood telling you you could be anything or do anything you want must be balanced against the cold truth that nothing comes easy in this life.

Beware of simple answers that promise to reduce the risks, beware of employing underhanded or manipulative tactics, beware of slogans and platitudes that diminish the facts.  Sure, you could just adjust your expectations, all it takes is a motivational poster on the wall...

Can you be happy irregardless of the circumstances or does your satisfaction depend on externals that will mainly remain outside of your control?  Become the person that doesn't resort to justifying any means to reach their end, and who can experience peace in every situation, do this and you will have accomplished more than reaching any temporary goal/dream that has persistently evaded you.

Don't give up the fight.  But don't give into it either.  In the end, when what you seek eludes you, the important perspective centers on "who" you are, not on "what" you achieved/acquired.  Attitude and character trump everything else.