Monday, June 30, 2008

"Either Fish or Cut Bait"


In my beloved Dixie, we pretty much create our own language that consists of analogies and allusions to either fishing, hunting or barbequing. :) One of these expressions that has meant a lot to me lately is "either fish or cut bait." To those of you who don't speak Southern, I'll translate. It simply means that in life, when faced with decisions, you can't sit and stew--just do your best to make an informed decision and then live with the consequences. You'll never progress if you don't live and learn.

This topic reminds me of a lesson I learned from a wise man about processionary caterpillars. Did you know that these caterpillars will starve to death, even when food is placed just inches away because they get so caught up in following the routine, following the caterpillar in front of them, that they forget where they need to go and what they need to do. If they feel threatened, they will simply form a circle and march around that circle until they die if the threat does not abate. So, how does this apply to us?

Well, my experience has been that it is so easy to get complacent in life-with jobs or friends or school-that we forget what's really important and just get caught in a rut. D&C 30:24 reminds us to "search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good..." My challenge for myself is to break free from the procession--to live life to it's fullest and not be confined by anyone else's ambits. May we all experience hardships in life that inspire us to be better and stronger. :)