On New Year’s Day I started reading Og Mandino’s Scroll IV. I chose the sentence

“If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I succeed”

The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino, p. 64

from Scroll III to read prior to reading Scroll IV. This sentence helps me stay focused and motivated to continue reaching my goals of True Health and Helping Others.

Scroll IV is about being nature’s miracle. It talks about how unique each individual person is.

“I am rare, and there is value in rarity; therefore, I am valuable.” “None that came before, none that live today, and none that come tomorrow can walk and talk and move and think exactly like me. All men are my brothers yet I am different from each. I am a unique creature.”

The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino, p. 68-69

This made me feel special. It made me happy to know I’m uniquely me. I don’t have to try to be like others. Instead, I can enjoy being me with all my quirks because I’m rare and valuable.

As I continued to read Scroll IV two paragraphs resonated with me.

“I will concentrate my energy on the challenge of the moment and my actions will help me forget all else. I will think naught of my family when I am in the market place for this will cloud my thoughts. So too will the problems of the market place be left in the market place and I will think naught of my profession when I am in my home for this will dampen my love.”

“There is no room in the market place for my family, nor is there room in my home for the market. Each will I divorce from the other and thus will I remain wedded to both. This is a paradox of the ages.”

The Greatest Salesman in the World, Og Mandino, p. 71

This is something I often struggle with. I have a hard time leaving any problems I have with my family or my personal health at home and not think about it while I’m at work. I struggle with separating my home life from my work life. Some days it feels like I have a monkey on my back.

It’s especially hard not to think about my family and my health problems when I’m at work doing repetitive, mindless work like washing dishes or black crates, or coring strawberries or weeding the greenhouse for hours.

I also have problems leaving my work problems at work and not bringing it home. However, I am getting better at leaving my work problems at work. I often have to tell myself that most of the problems on the farm and bakery are “Not my circus, not my monkeys.” It helps that when I get home my hubby will only let me talk about work, good or bad, for 5 minutes.

Then I’m not allowed to talk about work until my next work day. I noticed recently if there are things I need to alert the bosses about, if I don’t let them know while I’m at work or shortly after I finish work, I forget about it until the next time I’m back at work.

From Scroll IV I’m reminded that I’m unique, I’m a miracle, and that I need to separate my home life from my work life if I want to be successful in my career and loving toward my family. In other words, nature’s miracle needs to get rid of the monkey on her back to have a successful career and be more loving and attentive to her family!