What if you're right on the edge?

Let me share with you a story about a man who was deeply disappointed in his reality.

He went to work each day. He was diligent in his efforts. He worked hard yet reaped very little.

Frustrated with his life, he decided to leave behind everything he knew and exile himself from society.

He left for the forest, seeking solitude. But to his surprise, he found another man who had also secluded himself in the wilderness for his own reasons.

Seeing that the man was visibly discouraged, the stranger approached him.

"What brings you out here?" he asked.

The man sighed. "My life is disappointing. Monotonous. I work hard, but I have nothing to show for it."

He hesitated before continuing. "Tell me, why shouldn’t I just give up? Every day is the same. I give my best effort, yet I have nothing to show."

The stranger thought for a moment, then gestured for the man to follow him.

He led him to his yard, where two plants stood side by side...

"I planted these on the exact same day," the stranger said. "I watered and nourished them both every single day."

"The fern sprouted quickly, filling the yard with life. But the bamboo… the bamboo showed nothing."

"For four years, I cared for it. And for four years, there was little sign of growth."

The sad man frowned. "Then why did you keep watering it?"

The stranger smiled. "Because I knew what was happening beneath the surface."

"In the fifth year, the bamboo broke through the soil. And in just five weeks, it grew ninety feet tall, far beyond the fern."

"While nothing seemed to be happening, it was growing a foundation. It was building roots deep into the earth, preparing to support something great."

The man stood in silence, absorbing the lesson.

"Do you now see why you shouldn’t give up?"

For the first time in a long while, the weight on his shoulders lifted. His disappointment turned to belief.

He realized that his struggles were not for nothing. They were laying the foundation for something far greater than he could see.

Keep going.

One life.

With optimism, 

Ethan