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Gift in Ugly Wrapping There's a little chinese food joint near my house. I can ride my bike there. Harsh overhead lighting. Dingy floors that have been mopped one too many times. A gray-flecked counter with the plastic tearing along the edges. The people who own it are really friendly, but they don't speak English so you have to just kind of point at the menu and smile. It's a strange experience. But a good one because it was the wrapping for one of the best presents I've gotten. A simple fortune cookie.

I opened up the plastic wrapping and ate a small corner of the cookie (I don't like fortune cookies, but you have to eat just a little for the fortune part to come true). I pulled out the paper inside and was prepared for something dumb like "Be a flower and a cloud on your nose." But instead I was confronted with this:

I feel like that fortune was put there just for me. A little smack in the face (in the gentlest of ways). I took it to heart. It reminded me that sometimes we have to do things that are scary or uncomfortable because we are meant to learn something from it. (Boy, that's so hard!) We can't just go on our merry little ways without challenging ourselves. How does one evolve without conflict? Right now I feel like I am on this dark path, and I get nervous not knowing whether my foot will fall down on solid ground. But that should not stop me from walking forward. "I learn by going where I have to go." I keep pushing myself forward ...and I learn and grow and get better.

* * * * * I have added that saying to the bottom of my emails as a reminder to myself. Speaking of which, my computer has been returned safely (thanks, Kat) and I am now receiving emails. So you can email me your Best Advice submission if you're finished with it. :)