The Story of the "Juicy Banana"

There was an experiment on a band of monkeys in South America... don't ask me where, I can't remember. For the experiment, wooden boxes were placed in the jungle with a single banana in it. They had bars for walls, as in a jail cell, with the slits being as far apart as a person could slip their hand through with fingers extended.

The boxes were placed where the local monkeys could easily get to it. As the day progressed, monkeys would come across the boxes, slip their hand easily through the slits, and grab the banana. And there they would remain, caught with their hand in the box, snared. The amazing thing was, if they were to just let go of the banana they would be free. But the banana was just too juicy and too delicious to let go of. They HAD to have THAT banana... it was their banana. So there they were, trapped by their juicy banana. Some of them died holding on to that one banana. Some of them grew old, wasting most of their life holding on to the banana, only to give it up in the end for their few final days of life. But some.. they were wise enough to realize, that there was more tasty and beautiful things in the world to taste and explore than just this one banana. They let go of it and were free.

What is your juicy banana? What do you hold on to thinking it is the truth but instead is only one perspective, one person, one way, one banana that is trapping you and holding you back? What could you release to give yourself freedom?

Pick one thing, feeling, perspective, fear, belief that is holding you back... just release it for a bit and see what freedom you can experience. If you want to go back to that "banana" the box is always there for you.... be brave, trust, and let go....

Only a small question... What is life about?

So, I've been thinking lately about motivation. What motivates us? What motivates you? For me, motivation has come from trying to make things better; trying to help people see what they do not see. The trying part however, is the problem spot for me now. How hard should one TRY? Where does the acceptance come in then? One of the biggest things in what I want to do for myself and bring to other people, is to accept "what is"...within themselves, in others, in the world. This doesn't mean we don't try to make things better... but before we can change anything, improve anything - we need to accept what is. Only from that point can we ever hope to make any changes. So, where is the balance then. Why TRY to change anything?

After thought, I realized that maybe our purpose is simpler than that. It doesn't matter what we do in particularly. It only matters HOW we do it. Whether we are talking with other people, leading them on hikes, singing for them, editing their papers, designing websites, advising them on our bit of expertise in this world - it matters more HOW we do these things and not so much in the particulars. Maybe, instead of trying to change everything and everyone we move into a smaller, yet grander outlook of motivation.

Maybe the point is to just make today better.

Whatever you do today, make it better for yourself and for the people in front of you. What would happen if we all did that today? You don't have to be anything more than you already are. You are in the perfect position to accomplish this goal. Make today just a bit better... Enjoy!