Limitations

I am not a fan of limitations.  Growing up I was told things like, "The sky is the limit..." and "You can do anything you set your mind to..." and other such gems.  As I have become an adult and parent I realize it just isn't true.  There really are limits to what you can do.

Don't get me wrong, I love to aim high, but the laws of physics must still apply.  I know it is a bummer, but there really are things that just can not happen.

As you know I recently had surgery on my foot.  The unfortunate reality of this surgery is that I can't put any weight on it.  If you have ever been without the use of your foot you will know you are limited in what you can do, where you can go and how long your energy will last.  Things that were easy before require work and advanced planning.  You are truly limited.

There are other kinds of limitations.  You only have 24 hours in a day, so time is a limitation.  Everyone needs sleep, once again, a limitation.  You must eat...a limitation, and most of us need to go to work (be it in the home or outside), so that limits your ability to do what you want.

Life is really a set of trade offs.  You have unlimited choices, but limited time, energy and resources. (Did you notice the word limits again?) You have to decide what is worth the expenditure.  The process of making those decisions tells us a lot about ourselves.

When we were kids it was all about immediate gratification.  Depending on who you are, it may still be. As we age, things change. This foot surgery was not about immediate gratification but future comfort.  I expended time, financial resources and lack of comfort to get a desired result.  I made a choice to limit my ability to walk now for the opprotunity to walk easier later.

In life we face a lot of choices, we battle limitations and we become a person defined by how we make those choices.

Ironically the word "limitations" is not the nasty word I have made it out to be thus far.  Limits work both ways.  Limits can be good.  Limits keep us safe, limits keep us secure.  We would not appreciate if the interest rates on our credit card had no limits, or if the price on gas had no limits.  Limits help us grasp the details of our lives.

So it appears the thing to do is see how you feel about the limits in your life.  Look at what resources you have, what choices you need to make and where you want to end up on the other side.

As I said, I don't like limitations...or maybe I do. I haven't decided yet.  When I know, I'll let you know.  Until then, may you limit yourself wisely.