It was impossible to read this quote and not think of my grandmother. This was a woman who raised three children on her own in times that were difficult and she didn’t know where her next meal was going to come from. A woman who worked hard jobs to take care of her family, while ensuring that the needs of her community were being met as well. This was a woman grounded in faith, who didn’t know the meaning of the word no and hard work was in the forefront of her vocabulary. This was the woman that always told me never to start a job unless I was going to finish it and never do a job unless I was going to do it right.

It is sometimes hard for us to truly understand individuals who lived through tough times like the depression and how that shaped and molded their belief system and resolve. Individuals that had to fight for everything they got and stopping when they were tired often meant that they or their family would would not eat that night, have clothes on their back, or a roof over their head. Those experiences create a strength within individuals that is molded by their very surroundings and circumstances.

I can think of many situations I have been in over the years when I just wanted to give up. Situations where no matter how hard I tried, there seemed to be a wall that would appear in my way and it became exhausting. If I had quit every time I was tired and saw no way out, I would have left a lot of half finished situations along my life path. Somehow, thinking of my grandmother and that mantra that she always instilled me always gave me the extra boost I needed to carry on. I would think about the days she would work managing her warehouse, driving the forklift, sweeping the floors and then go and bake cakes and sit with someone who was sick or lonely until the wee hours of the morning. That always provide me the inspiration I needed to keep going until my task was done.

We come across some pretty hard situations in life. Situations that will take us to places that we didn’t even know we could go. Our ability to be successful in those endeavors lies within our ability to persevere at times when the tiredness seems to give us a ticket to quit. Being able to continue to done in those instances provides us with the strength and belief that the next time we are presented with a difficult ituation there is nothing that can stop us.

Have a great weekend and remember to be the reason someone smiles.

Ron

Mornings with Ron is now available on podcast at https://anchor.fm/morningswithron

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