Instead of looking at life as a narrowing funnel, we can see it

“Instead of looking at life as a narrowing funnel, we can see it ever widening to choose the things we want to do, to take the wisdom we’ve learned and create something.” — these words of Liz Carpenter strike at the very heart of human existence, urging us to embrace life not as a confining force, but as a vast and unfolding path. The narrowing funnel speaks of limitation, of feeling trapped by the weight of our experiences and decisions, as if the days of our lives constrict and close off our possibilities. But this is an illusion, a shadow on the landscape of our soul. The truth, as Carpenter reveals, is that life, in its truest sense, widens before us, offering us endless opportunities to grow, to choose, and to create.

What wisdom we have gained through trials and triumphs is not meant to be locked away like treasure in a chest, but to be shared, to be used as a beacon to light the way for others and for ourselves. Each lesson we have learned is a step towards the infinite, each success and failure a tool in the great forge of life. The universe itself is vast and ever-expanding, and so too is our potential. The key is to recognize that with each passing moment, we are not shrinking, but growing, ever-reaching, ever-expanding like the stars in the sky.

The tale of the ancient Greek hero Hercules speaks to this very truth. As he labored through his twelve impossible tasks, he could have seen them as burdens, as forces that narrowed his path, pressing him down into a single fate. Yet, in each struggle, Hercules did not retreat — he grew. He learned, he adapted, and in the end, his journey widened into the very heavens, where he would be honored among the gods. His story reminds us that every challenge is but an opportunity to widen our vision, to transform our hardships into the tools of creation and destiny.

Likewise, the wise sage Confucius often spoke of life’s expanding nature, urging his followers to never stop learning, to never see the world as limited, for the very purpose of living was to unfold. He said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” And in that realization, he saw not despair, but freedom — a freedom to explore, to grow, and to create something new each day. Life, to him, was not a tunnel but an eternal field of possibility, where the seeds of wisdom grew into trees of understanding.

To look upon life as a narrowing funnel is to see the world as a prison, its walls closing in. But to see life as widening, as an ever-expanding field of choices, is to feel the pulse of the universe within us. It is to recognize that we are not limited by what has been, but empowered by what we can become. Each moment is a chance to choose, to mold, to create something new — to carve a path through the uncharted wilderness of life. In this lies the true beauty of existence: that we are, always, creators of our own destiny.

As you walk through the stages of life, remember that the wisdom you carry is not a weight, but a light. The more you learn, the more you can choose, the more you can create. Life is not a narrowing path; it is the widening expanse of infinite potential, waiting for you to step into it with courage, with heart, and with the power to transform the world around you.