Other's

OURS IS NOT THAT WE ARE IN ADEQUATE.


OUR DEEPEST FEAR


IS THAT WE ARE POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE.


IT IS OUR LIGHT, NOT OUR DARKNESS,


THAT MOST FRIGHTENS US.


WE ASK OURSELVES, WHO AM I


TO BE BRILLIANT, GORGEOUS,


TALENTED AND FABULOUS?


ACTUALLY WHO ARE YOU NOT TO BE?


YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD.


YOUR PLAYING SMALL DOESN’T SERVE THE WORLD.


THERE IS NOTHING ENLIGHTENED ABOUT SHRINKING SO


THAT OTHER PEOPLE WON’T FEEL INSECURE AROUND YOU.


WE ARE BORN TO MAKE MANIFEST


THE GLORY OF GOD THAT IS WITHIN US.


IT’S NOT JUST WITHIN SOME OF US; IT IS IN EVERYONE.


AND AS WE LET OUR OWN LIGHT SHINE,


WE UNCONSCIOUSLY GIVE OTHER PEOPLE


PERMISSION TOP DOES THE SAME.


AS WE ARE LIBERATED FROM OUR OWN FEAR,


OUR PRESENCE AUTOMATICALLY LIBERATES OTHERS.


Every once in awhile I look back at all the people I wished at one time I could have been. At age 7 I wanted to be the 'Spiderman’. As I got older and started looking up to "real" people, I was impressed with one man in particular. RAMBO. Rambo showed could be a nice guy hit people win every battle and still be cool. But no matter how much someone else, or myself, tried to be like Rambo. There was only one Rambo to be had, ever. And then it occurred to me that if Rambo had suppressed his character to imitate someone else's, we'd have lost him in the process.


This brings us to the obvious. You are the only "you" there will ever be. Some people may have similar talents, habits, interests and such.. but no one else is you. That's so obvious at first none of us really thinks much of it. I didn't for a very long time. It's a wise and wonderful thing to learn from the people around us and glean from their wisdom, failures and travails to be sure. But when it comes right down to it, that silly phrase, "I gotta be me!" has some ring of truth to it after all.


The point I'm making is that it should have been obvious to me that despite all the interests that came my way. music, drama, sports, whatever, writing was what I did as natural as breathing. Instead I have kept pushing it to the side thinking that in order to find my place in life I have to 'become' something someone else did as their natural talent. All the while I have never given a thought to writing anything that might be constructive. Never thought to write anything that could even remotely be considered of any benefit to others than perhaps as kindling or fish wrap.


I have seen people who deep down know their talents yet have quelched their aspirations. Emerson said, "Most men live out their lives in quiet desperation." (Perhaps one of my readers can verify this for me?) Deep down I believe we know that which we do excellently "as naturally as breathing". But either through discouragement from others or even our own selves we do not venture out through the process of refining these gifts in order to be useful to us and to others. It is not until the end of their years that many people sigh the saddest words on their rocking chairs, "I could have been... if only I'd applied myself." (Three weeks ago I watched a retired archbishop - Timothy Njoya- in a local talk show Mambo Leo- He said one thing that left me thinking - he is enjoying his retirement and doing the things he loves! Being a” house husband”, sculpture - I loved his art-, and writing” this left me wondering as to why he was doing the things he never loved the whole of his useful life!


All he seemed to be getting was a considerable publicity and lots of beating from the authorities) I've come to have a fear of the word 'potential'. Potential is a wonderful encouragement in your early years. In your later years, 'potential' only means the ability is still waiting to be developed; it lies stagnant and is still locked in a state of 'potential'.


But what sort of gifts, talents, and abilities am I talking about? Is it only the easily tagged and labeled items such as singing, speaking, writing or physical agility? No. I really feel the world is in short need of such things. A few people of such talents can entertain the masses and there is no shortage of them. As much as I enjoy the finished works of those who have composed love songs, movies, and the like.. I believe it is the "untagged" gifts that hold a greater place of need in this world. (Friends, it is sensible enough to argue that “the greater the need the higher the worth of such a thing that is needed)


I am speaking of the ability of some who have that ability to comfort others in their time of sorrow. I'm talking about people who have ears for the words of those that go hungry. I'm thinking of those of you who know how to bring a smile to a difficult situation or perhaps listen with an attentive ear to the heart of your friends. There is great need for Mothers who have love for their children to raise them with an appreciation for the virtues that are in such short supply today.. Kindness, gentleness, love, sympathy, compassion, generosity.. These things and more we are capable of to some degree or another. But these talents, these qualities were never meant to be exchanged or kept in a glass jar for safekeeping.


I have also read, "The same words of praise will increase the modesty of a humble man, and the arrogance of a proud one." So our motivation, our question to ourselves should not be, "What can I do to bring fame to myself?" but rather, "How can I use my abilities to know what love does in the hearts of those around me?"


You have certain talents you can do 'as easily as breathing'. Not all abilities come with 'labels' that are easily measured or noticed. We are creative beings who can look around and see not only what needs to be done, but how we in particular are the ones who can do it in our own creative way. I don't implore you to "save the world" with strength you don't have. Only to use what you possess naturally to do what comes most unnaturally..


Contrary to the most common reasoning, your rational mind constitutes the greatest obstacle to your success. Often, our most incredible ideas die an instant death, simply because our 'clever' brains tell us that we are not capable of implementing them. We can’t make a living by trading on them. The judgments of the mind are based on our past experiences and conditioning and not on our true potential!. The truth of the matter is that there are people prospering in the very thing you are afraid of venturing into. Think of it this way.. What could you have done if you never needed money? . go a head and do it! I bet there are lots of people succeeding in it! They have made millions singing, they have made millions politicking, they have made millions in sports and did you know what…. The net worth of mother Theresa could not be ever calculated! Her work was to just love the underprivileged.