Today is August 30 and the Navigate the Chaos question to consider is “How often do you find yourself doing the best you can with what you have?”
People who navigate the chaos realize that have choices on a daily basis. One such choice is to do their best with what they have.
In her book Turning to One Another, Margaret Wheatley tells the story that originated in Mexican folklore where it is said that a long time ago there was a great fire in the forests that covered the earth.
People and animals started to run, trying to escape from the fire. An owl was running away also when he noticed a small bird hurrying back and forth between the nearest river and the fire.
He headed towards the small bird. The small bird was running to the river, picking up small drops of water in his beak, then returning to the fire to throw that tiny bit of water on the flame.
Owl approached the small bird and asked "What are you doing? What are you trying to do?
After a brief pause the small bird answered: "I am doing the best I can with what I have."
Risking his own life, the small bird demonstrated thoughtfulness in trying to extinguish the fire one beak of water at a time.
With that the owl and other animals followed the small bird’s example. According to this legend the forests that covered the earth were saved from a great fire by a small bird, an owl, and many other animals who got together to put out the fire.
How often do you find yourself doing the best you can with what you have?