I looked up to see my 11 month old Tabby cat Sebastian, diligently pulling the push pins out of my bulletin board. He had to work at it a bit but he persisted and of course when he finally pulled it out, the papers it was holding up fell in a fascinating flurry behind a chest that will make them hard for me to get to. But he loved that push pin and proudly carried it away as if he had just made a major jungle kill and was bringing it home to feed his family. What a sense of satisfaction he seemed to have over a job well done. But it also turned into a skill building exercise as he turned it into a toy - to push around and pounce on and chase under and around things as he batted it around. He even shared it with his sister Sabrina to have even more fun with it. What a lot of mileage he got from his one push pin.

So here's what I learned from watching Sebastian and his push pin.

Be Curious

You can find ideas everywhere. You just have to notice what is around you. Be aware. Look beyond the obvious into the possibilities. Do something simply because it is there to do. Examine everything for possibilities. Get creative about how you go about gaining access to what interests you.

Be Persistent

If you want something, keep at it. Approach it one way and then another. Use a soft touch. Use a hard touch. Come at it from several angles. Just stick with it.

See infinite possibilities in every situation

You may think you have figured out how to put something to use, but stay open to the other possibilities that show up. Can it be tweaked to go another direction? Can it be combined with something else to become have an entirely new purpose? Do you need to share it with someone to make it really interesting?

Know there is something excitingly glorious in everything

Everything has potential. Everything has a message, an opportunity, and an insight. Look at what seems ordinary and look beyond how you already know to use it. Look for new ways to put it to work, new ways to share it, unusual ways to approach it.

As Sebastian settles down for his morning nap there is a message there to. A tail by any other name is another tale all together. And that's what Sebastian taught me today.

© 2010 Cara Lumen