Comparison! What Would You Do?

      I would just like to share a comparison I have thought a lot about lately. AND if anyone knows me and my circumstances they will realize why I have thought of this so much lately!

     Let's say that you and your best buddy start a business together. Not easy to start up a business, but your enthusiasm to succeed at this idea that you have talked about so often keeps you both determined to see it become successful. There are times you don't see eye to eye on everything and there are many many long discussions in which you work together to reach an agreement because you both agree that the success of your business is the most important thing. It has been from the moment you both started discussing the idea and brought it to its beginnings. With time and lots of effort you begin to see the fruits of your joint effort come together.  After about 10 years you are well established! Your business is not the top in the area, but it is holding it's own and gaining all the time. You still continue those discussions and are still working to reach your goal of a successful business, each working in the area each is best at and supporting the other in his area! Another 10 years down the line and it looks like it is going to be the greatest year ever, but then fate steps in in the form of a fire that destroys half of your business. You and your partner are devastated and discuss just what to do. Is it time to give up on your dream? But neither one of you want that so you wipe the slate clean, come up with goals and plans that you both put all your effort in to make reality. And slowly but surely you begin to overcome the devastation the fire left in its wake. After all the fire was a fluke, an accident, and you are both determined to fulfill your dream of a successful business. You continue to work together through scant times of business, through other times when all seems to be sailing smoothly to the top. It is a constant up and down battle in one way or another, but you are both determined to reach your goal as top business partners running a very successful business! You have managed to stick it out through the ups and downs and have learned so much from one another as well as about the business! Smooth sailing?!?! Hardly ever happens because there is always one thing or another to try to mess up the works, but neither of you ever wanted to quit and walk away! Neither of you ever wanted to admit defeat and so you fought on together. But now, after 40 years of working through large and small issues that you could have let destroy your dreams, your business your partner is ready to call it quits. Not because you have not been successful. You may not be the top in the industry, but you have managed to remain consistently competitive! You are shocked! Why after all of these years of, shall we say "blood, sweat and tears", does your partner want to pull up stakes? Why does he want to walk away from a dream you dreamed together from the moment you met? Can't he remember all you have gone through, all you have fought to ovecome, all of the small successes? Why, continues to scream through your head! Why? Why would he walk away now that you are near the top and could finally realize the dreams you started out with? How, screams right on top of that? How can he walk away from all you have gone through together? How can he give up everything you have fought for, struggled through and managed to overcome? Yes, how can anyone walk away from a 40 year partnership with all it entails, all it has gone through? How do you walk away from your dreams, your life's ambition, your everything of the past 40 years? Think about it! What would you do? Comparison? I will let you figure that one out for yourself!!! Could be even more than the one I am thinking of!!!