I've watched the musical Mary Poppins countless times with the kids.
Each time I do, I either learn something new or get an old lesson reinforced.
There's this bit in the story where , Bert, Mary and the kids travel back from the racecourse where Mary had just won a trophy and taught Supercalifraglisticexpialidocious to her audience.
It was raining back at the park and Bert's chalk drawings on the pavement were all ruined.
"Oh Bert," sighed Mary, "all your fine drawings."
Bert saw it differently.
"There's plenty more where they came from," he replied.
"Besides, looks like good chestnut weather to me."
Just think of that.
Bert is able to put a positive spin on what looks like a setback - he's no longer thinking of what he's lost (the chalk drawings) but what he can create afresh.
And he's looking at other opportunities the bad weather can provide, that silver lining every cloud has if we look hard enough.
If he can't sell chalk drawings, he can sell something else - hot chestnuts.
What a clever, resourceful, creative chimney sweep.
I can think of more applications.
Did you notice Bert hasn't confined himself to chimney sweeping? He's a chalk artist, a busker and a streetside vendor of hot chestnuts on cold, wet days.
Multiple streams of income. Yep.
But I'm thinking of something else too.
Bert hasn't allowed his current reality (being a lowly chimney sweep, which surely was fairly low on the social ladder for his time) to limit him from doing good, living well and expressing himself the best way he can.
In the story, he's also a friend to children and a counselor to adults (even those adults who wouldn't normally socialize with chimney sweeps).
Action Challenge
What's keeping you back from living a full life?
What can you start doing today to live a fuller, more vibrant life?
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