Pebbles and Breadcrumbs

In the classic fairy tale, Hansel and Gretel are led deep into the forest by their father, a woodcutter. Their selfish stepmother wanting to rid the home of children, so she and their father would have enough food in a time of personal famine.

Initially, the two overhear their stepmother and father making plans to take them into the forest and leave them. Hansel goes out at night and gathers white pebbles to mark the path back home. When they are left deep in the forest, Hansel and Gretel follow the pebbles back home. Their father delighted to see them make it home. The stepmother, on the other hand, is furious.

She prevails upon her husband to take them back into the forest and leave them. This time, she locks the children's bedroom door, so they are unable to gather pebbles during the night.

Instead, when Hansel and Gretel are led into the forest, Hansel leaves breadcrumbs from a slice of bread he had taken. Unknown to him, though, birds eat the crumbs as they head deeper and deeper into the forest. When their father leaves them in the woods, they are lost.

They discover a house made of gingerbread and candy. They are invited inside by a very old woman only to discover, belatedly, that she is a witch. By the time they discover that, it is too late for them. They are held captive until Gretel out tricks her and they escape.

Normally, this is considered a type of coming-of-age tale. A children's or young adult tale. But what if it has application for adults as well.

We are led into the wilderness of adulthood to fend for ourselves only to discover we have been left alone. The wilderness is a maze of figuring out how to survive. Sometimes that wilderness is more easily navigated. Other times we find ourselves feeling captured and working for the proverbial witch. Yet, other times we find ourselves stuck in the forest subsisting in less than ideal conditions.

Just as Hansel and Gretel being aided by the swan across the lake, we may at some point find ourselves being aided by supernatural beings. It certainly may seem that way when we are led out of what feels like captivity to work that is fulfilling and satisfying.

I have felt like Hansel and Gretel throughout different points of my career, feeling lost in the wilderness not knowing which path to take, being in a career that satisfied my needs like the candy in the gingerbread house, and feeling like I'm imprisoned in the witches cage. And, yet, I've somehow come to the point where I feel like my journey is being aided by supernatural beings.

Along the way, I've traveled down many paths that haven't led home. Paths that included time as a office supplies salesperson, a database administrator, a senior accountant, and as a financial analyst. None of them led me to the witch's cauldron but I often felt as if I were in a foreign land and all I wanted was to head home.

Even since being more intentionally on the path to figuring out my individual purpose I've tried various paths as a paper mache artist, a photographer, and a graphic designer. It is only recently since I have found my way to helping businesses navigate their own path in the world that I have begun to feel like I am headed into home territory.

I may not be completely home yet, but at least the territory looks familiar and comfortable. It has been a long journey with many twists and turns, and in no way is it time for me to rest. Actually, now that I am in home territory, I need to settle in and get to work clearing off land that has become overgrown or left fallow. It will take some work to see the fruits of my labors, but I look forward to a rich bounty.