Wise or Foolish—What Do You Choose?

I’m not going to lie to you.  After living through seven winters in Maryland, Idaho, and Utah, I am thankful to now spend my winters in California.  I love the sunshine and warmth of California winters.  However, I am mindful of the mandatory water conservation regulations and know California needs rain.

Over the last few weeks, Northern California has welcomed much needed rain and with that rain I am reminded of a song that I learned as a child entitled “The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.”  Are you familiar with this song?  The lyrics go something like this:

The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
But the house on the rock stood firm.

The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down.

The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
The rains came down and the floods came up,
And the house on the sand washed away.

As I ponder the words of this song, I am reminded of the personal responsibility we can each choose to accept to create a solid foundation to not only enjoy life but to also endure life’s storms, which are often times unexpected (loss of unemployment, loss of a loved one, illness, etc.). Is it easy to build our shelter from life’s storms?  Not always.  It can take discipline, time, patience, sacrifice, and hard work.

I believe our foundation is built upon four key areas: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness.  Our choices in these areas can either strengthen or weaken the foundation we create for ourselves.  We have each been given the freedom to choose how we will nurture our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellness.  With that freedom of choice comes responsibility and sometimes consequences.

Gearing up for 2016 brings excitement and a few unknown surprises. In an effort to strengthen our foundation, let us plan to strengthen one or more of these areas in our lives.

With a solid foundation under our feet, we can gain greater mobility to navigate life with fewer restrictions and enjoy more freedom. We become more available to look beyond ourselves and support others.  We are better situated to nurture our relationships, fulfill our work responsibilities and other commitments, and reach our greatest potential.

Don’t wait or assume it is someone else’s responsibility to create and build a solid foundation for you. It should not take something horrible to happen to make positive changes.

Seek to find your purpose in life. Robert Byrne said, “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.”  Your purpose will help to motivate you to create the solid foundation you will need to last you a lifetime.