A friend and fellow professor posted this image to her Facebook page. After taking it in, I asked if I could share it here. What do you see when you look and take in this image?
What symbolism and meaning flood your thoughts as you take it in. Is the dog, without regard to consequences, failure, demise, leaping – risking all on the possibility of “nabbing” that bird, because his very existence was to do just that! Is the bird taunting, teasing, ridiculing, and mocking, the dog, just to get a reaction, that defeats him.
To Leap or Not To Leap
She offered the following three Lessons from the picture:
1. Sometimes the best response to provocation is not to fight.
2. Not all opportunities are to be taken. Some are traps.
3. A person can become so determined to destroy another person that they become blind and end up destroying themselves.
When I reflect on my life, I want to believe I have never been so determined to destroy another, that I’ve destroyed myself. And, there are those times I’ve taken risks as well as those other times when I did not.
What I know for sure, is when I have taken a risk and failed, it hurts, is defeating and can be very discouraging – but I wouldn’t change the decision to “leap,” to try, to give it my best shot. I guess I look failure with the attitude, “well, at least I know how NOT to do it, next time.”
By contrast, when I have taken risks and succeeded, the reward, recognition, and overall sense of achievement can be empowering and most satisfying.
When faced with taking the risk, I hope to embody the lessons I’ve learned from failures and draw courage and discernment from the satisfaction that comes with achievement.
Do you stay safe or take the risk and leap? what lesson do you see?
Respectfully,
Lynn
About
Lynn F Austin, MBA is an author and speaker. Her messages reflect her courage and commitment against fear, doubt, and disbelief. She is dedicated to serving causes impacting domestic violence and at-risk youth.