Joseph Henry used to tell a rather strange story about his childhood. His
grandmother paid a cobbler to make him a pair of shoes.
The man measured his feet and told Joseph that he could choose between two
styles: a rounded toe or a square toe. Little Joseph couldn't decide. It seemed
to be such a huge decision; after all, they would become his only pair of shoes
for a long time.
The cobbler allowed him to take a couple of days to make up his mind. Day after
day, Joseph went into the shop, sometimes three or four times a day! Each time
he looked over the cobbler's shoes and tried to decide. The round-toed shoes
were more practical, but the square toes looked more fashionable. He continued
to procrastinate. He wanted to make up his mind, but he just couldn't decide!
Finally, one day he went into the shop and the cobbler handed him a parcel
wrapped in brown paper. His new shoes! He raced home. He tore off the wrapping
and found a beautiful pair of leather shoes -- one with a rounded toe and the
other with a square toe!
Joseph learned a difficult lesson about decisions: if we don't make them
ourselves, others will make them for us. And wholeness in life can only come
about when we take full responsibility for the choices we make.
Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please
authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances
dictate.
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