A couple went on their honeymoon to a cottage in a peaceful and lovely mountain setting. Unfortunately, the peaceful atmosphere was upset by an annoying woodpecker, which kept pecking away on the roof of the cottage.
The young groom tried a number of times to chase the woodpecker away, but he kept coming back. The young couple decided to make the most of the situation and they named the bird, “Woody Woodpecker.”
It just so happened that the young groom was a cartoonist and he decided to create a cartoon series about “Woody Woodpecker.” The young man pitched the idea to a couple of Hollywood movie studios and met with rejection, and finally acceptance.
This young man, by the name of Walter Lantz, worked hard on creating the cartoon character named after that pesky woodpecker. For over sixty years, that loveable character entertained millions of people who have watched the star of his own cartoon series.
How often does an annoyance in our lives turn into an opportunity for us? How often do we chase away the annoyances without stopping to really look at them? Is it possible that there are “Woody Woodpeckers” that present themselves to us, ready to be used to bring riches, enjoyments and pleasure to our self and others?
How would we identify one of those opportunities that presents itself to us? To answer that question, we can look to many of the products and services that we use and enjoy that arose out of some lack or annoyance in our lives. What about books that have been written by people who are attempting to heal some aspect of them self, and by writing about it have helped millions of others.
When faced with a recurring irritation in your life, take a moment to reflect upon how you might use this situation to your advantage. Name it, claim it, and use it to the benefit of yourself and others.
It is not what happens to us that is important. It is what we do with each situation in our life that matters.
Affirmation for the Week:
“I remain vigilant to opportunities, which come to me disguised as irritations. I tame each situation and make good use of it.”
Have a week filled with insights!
Mary Rau-Foster