Reach for What You Really Want

One of our favorite experiences at Ghost Ranch was
hiking back into a gorgeous red rock box canyon where I took this photo of
Doug. It had been a fun and sometimes challenging hike up to this point,
criss-crossing the creek on slippery rocks and climbing over and through large
boulders.

Finally, we could see the end of the box canyon, but we
weren’t quite there yet. Before us was a tall,

challenging pile of boulder,
which I doubted my ability to scale. I decided we had gone far enough.

When Doug climbed on this ledge high above where we
were standing, he could see the very end of the canyon. From his vantage point,
he saw that getting all the way to the end of the trail was worth doing; and it
seemed do-able. We decided to go for what we really wanted!

What followed was a delightful time of reaching,
stretching, balancing, and maneuvering to reach the very end of the canyon.
There we were surrounded by a high rock wall that folded back over us, wet with
water seeping through the cracks, and a resonant echo to every sound we made. We
loved it and were thrilled we did it!

When I see this photo of Doug taking a risk to get a
better view, I am reminded how important it is to stretch yourself and go for
what you truly want, even if you’re not sure if or how to do it. Boldness
and courage are essential for a fulfilling, joyous family life. Settling for less than what you really want limits
you or your child.

Every challenge in a family relationship is an
opportunity to expand, grow as a person, and learn something new that will
transform your life forever. What can you do this week to challenge yourself to
stretch to have more of what you truly want to experience in your life?