Imagine you are walking on a beach, and the sand squeezes between your toes. To the right is the ocean blue. To the left are people and hot dog stands, and further beyond to the left are condos, and a whole world out there that extends to another ocean and beyond. The world is vast. Vaster yet are the skies above.

Where do you cast your eyes? On what is your focus?

You can love it all. Okay, the sun may get too hot on your back, yet here is an ocean right there for you to cool off in.

Maybe a piece of a seashell hurts your foot for a moment, and yet you are privileged to walk at the beach.

Maybe there is noise from all the people who lie on the beach or run in and out of the water. There is always an inconvenience or two. But what, beloveds, what if the strand you are on is perfect even with its noise and inconveniences? What if it's okay for the beach to be noisy? Would you really want the beach silent? Would you really want it all to yourself? Then you would be on a desert island, and then you would value the noise and the people.

You can enjoy the beach or not enjoy it as you will. Someone who is landlocked would envy you even five minutes at the beach.

And yet, by the same token, the person inland can enjoy where he is.

Each aspect of the world I have given you has its attractions and distractions, and you can like the lay of the land where you happen to abide. You can continue inland, or you can move to the Oceanside.

There may be many reasons why you can or cannot, and yet you can stay or you can move regardless. Maybe it is simply too much trouble for you to move, and not really because of all the reasons you have.

The same could be said about anything. You want to start a business venture. You decide to, or you decide not to, or you postpone. You are the decider. It just may be too much trouble for you to start a business. You do not have to listen to the reasons that dissuade you. You can object to them. You can overthrow them.

Who would do much of anything when he counts all the trouble of doing it? It's better to look at what you want and why you want it. Better to aim at what you would like to do and not all the obstacles to it.

Who would have invented the lightbulb if he focused on all the trials it would take? Who would do anything when he thinks of what it may cost him in time and trouble? How many people would move from one house to another if they thought only of the packing and decluttering and the energy that moving entails? They would be tired before they began.

Who would enjoy even life at the beach when considering all the difficulties. The water is cold. The sun is too hot. Clothes get sandy. It costs money and so on.

Beloveds, I do not say you must move from one house to another or to the beach, nor do I tell you that you must stay where you are. I say you are not always to make your decisions on the basis of ease. This is not to say you never must. You are free to let anything stop you, and you are free to let nothing stop you. Even when something doesn't work out for you the way you wanted, will you still be glad you gave it a good try?