Strike while the Iron is Hot

“Strike while the iron is hot” or as it is recorded as having been said in 1566 “I haue plied the Haruest, and stroke when the Yron was hotte.”  Say what?  Speak English man!
I thought it was a good saying for me, so I looked it up.  In this case to strike does not mean to cease activity.  In fact, the exact opposite.   It stems from the days when a blacksmith was at the forge.  It is common imagery to see someone poking metal into a fire and banging it to the shape they want.  It was in Lord of the Rings when the sword was reforged.
To me it says take the opportunity when it arises if it is where I am heading.  These days forges can be huge but fire to heat the metal remains.  It is only when metal is hot it can be manipulated.  Made the shape required.  If I try to do it when the metal is cold, I stand a better chance of breaking it than changing its shape.
Churchill was right when he said “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”  In a different post I wrote about my stamps.  Although I have done heaps the task remains mammoth.  There are difficulties for sure, but it is the opportunities that keep me doing it.  It will look good, I will learn about places, I will grow because doing something hard is good for me.
It is commonly said that when one door closes another opens.  That to me is true but I need to be careful I don’t spend so much time umming and arring that the door closes while I am doing that.  If the door opens and it is right for me to go through it, then I reckon I need to make it happen.
It seems to often be the case that another door opens but I question if it leads to the same corridor.  I have no doubt it leads to a similar corridor but why risk it.
I really can only take what is on offer now.  To me, now can be a scary word.  It is all I have.   I cannot bring back yesterday, and I have not arrived at tomorrow.  I only have now, and it is all I will ever have.  My now can only be ever what I want if I do it now.
It is no wonder it is often said tell someone you love them now.  There is no guarantee the opportunity will come again.  Guarantees are for perceived certainties, and the only certainty I have is now.  I cannot catch a plane that has already left.  It does not matter if I was booked on it.  Once it is gone it is gone.  There may be other flights but that one was perfect.  That is why I booked it.  The same goal may be achieved but it has to be in a different way.  The way may be good or acceptable, but it is less than perfect.
Today striking while the iron is hot is us waiting for someone who said they would come today to certify our shed.  Did I mention we have a new shed?  Down the track it will not be new, so I am milking this for all it is worth.
We could have asked for a future date but that is not guaranteed.  Now is, so we took it.