I once read a story about a man who got everything he wanted. When he went shopping, his credit card never showed a debit balance. If he placed a bet, he would win every time. He learned to play golf, and soon could achieve eighteen holes in eighteen on any golf course in the world.
Eventually all this success begins to pall and he makes enquiries to find out what is going on. He is told that he is in heaven, which turns out to be a way station where people go to do all the things they ever wished for while they were alive. Soon he realizes that the place is not very busy and at first assumes that everyone else must be in hell. He is soon disavowed of this notion too. There is no hell, but there is death, and that too is a choice that people can wish for. It isn’t too long, as you can imagine, before he realizes that sooner or later everyone wishes for death.
What on earth would be the point of life without challenge? An ancient proverb says: If you find a path with no obstacles it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.
Our challenges are our teachers. Stretching ourselves is not only fun, but necessary for our growth and sense that there is something to get out of bed for each day.
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