Barriers
We have a kitten and a toddler.
For as long as we've had Ruby, our kitten, we've had a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs. The stairs have a handrail with spindles.
Our cats have two choices to go upstairs. Jump over the baby gate or go through the side where the spindles are. I guess when Ruby was really little, jumping the gate was difficult. So she's always gone through the spindles.
As our toddler has gotten older, the gate has become less of a necessity. So it's not up as much as it used to be. I was watching Ruby go up the stairs this morning and even though the gate was down, she went around and through the spindles. There was no barricade to stop her, but she took the long way around anyway.
Which got me thinking.
We can be like that. I can be like that. Our situation changes and we continue to follow our old familiar paths, not realizing that there is a better option. Or even a different option.
Think about the times in life that barriers have been removed and you haven't noticed. Changes at work. In relationships. In organizations. The scenario has changed and a different path is available to you. Do you take it? Or do you continue to follow the same comfortable path?