A Box of Matches: Moving Forward When You Can't See the Whole Path

There’s a version of life we all wish we had.

The one where everything is clear. Where we can see the path ahead. Where we know how it’s going to turn out.

But that’s not usually how it works.

Most of the time, we’re given something much smaller.

A Story About My Dad and Grandpa

My grandpa once took his three stepsons—including my dad—out to a lake deep in the forest.

It was one of those perfect days. Fishing. Skipping rocks. Laughing. No rush.

Until they realized something they hadn’t planned for.

It was getting dark.

Faster than they expected.

And they hadn’t brought a flashlight.

All they had was a box of matches.

They started walking quickly, trying to make it out while there was still light. But the forest got darker and darker… until eventually, they couldn’t see anything at all.

That’s when my grandpa told the boys to hold on to him.

They formed a line—the oldest holding onto him, the others holding onto each other.

Then he struck a match.

For a moment, there was light. Just enough to see a few steps ahead.

So he walked.

And when the match burned out, he stopped… struck another… and kept going.

Again and again.

Only ever able to see a little bit at a time.

This Is What Life Feels Like

We want the whole path.

We want to know:

• Am I making the right decision?

• Is this going to work out?

• Where is this leading me?

We want clarity before we move.

But most of the time, life doesn’t give us a flashlight.

It gives us a match.

And insecurity hates that.

Because when you can’t see everything, it feels like you’re not safe.

But here’s the truth:

You don’t need full clarity to be safe. You need self-trust.

What My Grandpa Did Right

My grandpa didn’t wait for the sun to come back up.

He didn’t panic because he couldn’t see the whole way.

He used what he had.

And he kept moving.

Step by step. Match by match.

And the boys?

They didn’t need to know the way out.

They just needed to hold on.

How This Applies to You

This is how self-security is built.

Not by having all the answers.

But by learning to move forward with the light you have.

It looks like:

• Making the next right decision, even if you don’t know what comes after

• Trusting what you do know instead of fixating on what you don’t

• Regulating yourself instead of spiraling in uncertainty

• Taking ownership of your step instead of waiting for certainty

You don’t need the whole path. You just need the next step.

The Part We Get Backwards

We think:

“Once I feel clear, then I’ll move.”

But it’s actually the opposite.

Clarity comes from movement.

Confidence comes from movement. Security is built in movement.

You don’t get more light by standing still.

You get more light by using the match you already have.

If you’re in a season where things feel unclear…where you wish you could see further…where you’re questioning if you’re doing it right—

You’re not doing it wrong.

You’re just in the part of the path where you only have a match.

So use it.

Take the step you can see.

Trust yourself with that step.

And let the next bit of light meet you there.

Final Thought

My grandpa didn’t need to see the whole forest to get them out.

He just needed enough light to keep going.

And so do you.

One match at a time.