“It is the rain that fills the river not the dew.” reads the topic that was given to me in one of our impromptu speaking sessions in Toastmasters. I love that quote. In it is an important gem of wisdom we need to be reminded of.
In life, we experience rain in the form of failures, risks or amounts of hard work. But the problem is that we are defaulted to shun those learning moments in the form of failures, opportunities in the form of risks, and stepping stones in the form of hard work. As a result, we miss out on filling our river to sail us to the ocean of success.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Let us be reminded that failures can be learning experiences that can make us wiser helping us to move forward, that risks – calculated risks – are necessary to take advantage of opportunities coming our way, and that tons of hard work is required to achieve that big dream you have in life.
If we want to fill that river, we have to choose the rain over the dew. We have to welcome the rain.
Rain comes in different areas of life. It may be in our career, business, relationship, health and others.
Great men and women that are recognized in their fields have welcomed the rains of failures, risks and hard work. Thomas Edison became a legend because he welcomed thousands of rains in inventing the light bulb. Mark Zuckerberg welcomed the rains of putting new things out there before the stellar years of Facebook begun. The Beatles welcomed the rains of hard work in their performances before they became so masterful in their music.
In my dream of becoming an author, I have to welcome the rain of possible public scrutiny. I have to welcome the rain of writing, rewriting, editing and rewriting. I have to welcome the rain of coordinating with editors, printers, bookshops and other hands to help out.
In the process, I learned that we don’t have to shun the rain. We should rather welcome it. When we do so, we will realize that the rain is not that cold. That the craft we are meant to do can be enjoyable and fun. That the reward can be that – rewarding. That the people we can approach are warm and welcoming of ideas. That they are there to help you with full heart.
Rains in life can be good and beneficial. After all, that is how they are designed to be. Those rains will help us grow and move closer to our dreams. Just like how the rain is designed to help nourish the grass, the plants and the trees. The same rain that is designed to give life to living things. The same rain that is designed to fill the rivers and other bodies of water. The same rain that is designed to balance the ecosystem of the world. Of life.
(Chris Dao-anis aims to empower his fellow young minds with practical instruction and inspiration in the fields of communication and personal leadership. He is an author, trainer and speaker. For talks, seminars and speech coaching, email him at chrisdaoanis@gmail.com. His latest book ‘Living Large in the Little Things’ is available at Mt. Cloud Bookshop, Casa Vallejo, Upper Session Road and at Psalms Bookstore (Sunshine Supermart) in Baguio City. Other options are available at www.chrispoweracademy.com/livinglarge.)
