I Knew I COULD!

Regardless of your age, you were probably introduced as a child to a wonderful book entitled The Little Engine That Could.  If you will recall, it was the story of a small red locomotive personality who believed it was possible to pull a very heavy load uphill–a task that was shunned by the larger locomotives.  The little engine huffed and puffed up the hill, all the while repeating the mantra, “I think I can! I think I can! I think I can!”

It was a cute story that contained a very powerful message about persistence and the ability to overcome adversity.  Now there’s a sequel entitled I Knew I Could!  A quick ten-minute read, the reader is led to the understanding that we choose the life “tracks” upon which we travel.

Here’s a synopsis:  Tillie the Engine tells her friends that they must choose their own track, and though they can see where they want to make their last stop,  the track they’re on will very likely take them through mountains and valleys, scary places, and lonely places. They will become low on fuel and ready to give up.  Because Tillie has been there, she encourages the other trains to simply persevere, stop for fuel and a nice clean up, trust their instincts, and their track will lead to where they are going.

Sounds like real life, doesn’t it?

It may seem silly to find inspiration from a talking locomotive, but the advice is sound.  Choose your track with your destination in the distance, stay strong, take care of yourself, and when the uphill climb seems to be too much, say “I think I can!” Once you’ve made it through the rough spots and pulled into your destination station, you can say a triumphant “I knew I could!”