Golden Nuggets from Eavesdropping...

I know some of you may think I'm a stalker after I share this with you...but I have decided I am okay with that. ;)

Have you ever been in a situation where you have eavesdropped on a conversation? Maybe you were in check-out line at the grocery store listening to couple behind you talking about their dinner plans, or maybe it was when you were sitting in class or at your work place, listening to the people next you you talk about their weekend adventures...regardless of what the situation was, I know I'm not the only one whose done this, so I know you will all be able to relate. 

Earlier today I was sitting outside at a table, in one of my favorite courtyards at my University. Normally I am able to study/work on whatever I need to with no problem at all, but today was totally a different story. I quickly found out that the conversation I was overhearing was about a little kindergartner who was involved in the daycare program they have on campus. What seemed like a professor and two instructors of the daycare were talking about childcare techniques and how to handle little kindergartner that attended. Apparently this little child had gone through far more than anyone should go through at their age, and therefore had a lot of issues that they were dealing with... even though they had only been alive for 6 years so far. My heart completely went out for this little child, so by this point I was 100% hooked on the conversation! 

Reader, I am not telling you this to spread this kindergartner's story, or even to share the professor's life story that he shared so he could shed light on the tough experiences he went through at a young age. Sharing other people's story without their consent is wrong. However, I am telling you this because of the golden nugget I had heard from the professor towards the end of the conversation. As they were talking about rough experiences that happen to us at a young age, the professor said something that totally stuck out to me. It went something like this...

"What do you learn from good things? nothing. You learn nothing, because you are too busy enjoying them! We need the hard things, crap in our lives, because thats how we learn. When you think about it, crap tastes horrible - but its what makes us grow. We put crap all over our plants, but do you see how they thrive? We need to be thankful for all the crap in our lives, rather than hate it because it can be the defining thing that makes US thrive. Crap can be our catalyst into greater things."

Such truth right? What is your crap? Are you viewing it as a anchor that is weighing you down? Is it the thing that you are starting to define yourself by? Or, are you using it a a catalyst? Using your crap or frustrating situations as a springboard to help push you farther in the right direction? We can choose how we respond to tough circumstances....So I encourage you today, to evaluate where you are (how you are dealing with your crap), and decide how you want to deal with it, if you haven't already. Maybe it is going to help you grow in the long run? 

All in all, I didn't get any studying done at that table! haha

...but I was totally reminded of a valuable life lesson that I had learned long ago.

Ps - little known fact...I totally thought Eavesdropping was spelled "ease-dropping" until this blog....Yeah, I know I'm a horrible speller...I spell phonetically. I'm cool like that. ;) Thankfully someone looked over this blog title before I posted it, or else you would be laughing at me instead of with me!! haha

>> I guess that means I learned two valuable things through this experience - A life lesson from a total stranger, and a brush up on my spelling! Who knew it could be such a teachable moment! ;)