Saturday 12 February 2011

Naming "IT"

I had a really nice dinner out with a couple of people last night. The restaurant we went to had a lot of photographs (for sale) of scenes in Venice - a place I absolutely loved. I think I remember sending an email exclaiming how happy I was to be there even though it was raining most of the time I was there. I found it to be a magical place for wandering aimlessly about.

It made me want to write something, and this picture came to mind. Not sure why, as it really doesn't represent Venice at all.

Perhaps it was the fact that I was fortunate enough to have been able to visit Venice. Or it could have been just simply the fact that I was out for dinner - just being able to do that is a luxury for some, a regular occurence for others and then there are those for whom a dinner out is completely unfathomable.

How is it that while we are all created equal, some of us end up relying on the kindness of others in order to gather enough money for food and/or shelter? Why is mediocrity (at best) acceptable for the majority? Why is there so much poverty in the world? If you think about the number of people on earth, I think it would be fair to say that the majority of us come from very humble beginnings. And in context to the whole, only a very small percentage grow up to be world leaders in business, entertainment, politics, sports, etc.? I looked at some stats which indicate that less than 1% if all households (worldwide) are millionaires. But, that same group owns almost 40% of the worlds assets.

What is "IT" that makes people like Bill Gates, Oprah, J.K Rowling, Nelson Mandela, Richard Branson, Ghandi, Madonna, Michael Jordan, and so many others, so successful?

What is "IT" that makes some of us leaders, while others remain admirers or followers?
What is ‘IT’ that sits at the core of our being, that when recognized or tapped into drives us on to major accomplishments?
Is "IT" something we need to become aware of in order to benefit?
I know that we all have whatever ‘IT’ is.
Is part of our journey meant to be spent trying to find ‘IT’S’ essence.
God made us all equal, yet some stand apart. They’ve found that which springs from the core of our being.

Can you name ‘IT’?

How do we positively influence ourselves and others? What do we tap into?
Is ‘IT’:
• Audacity – the willingness to take bold action
• Belief – an acceptance that a statement is true or that something exists
• Change – make or become different
• Confidence – the feeling or belief that one can rely on something (or someone)
• Determination – firmness of purpose: resoluteness
• Faith – complete trust or confidence in something (or someone)
• Hope – a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
• Passion – strong and barely controllable emotion
• Thought – have a particular opinion, belief or idea about something (or someone)
• Trust – firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of something (or someone)
• Truth – the quality or state of being true
• Vision – the faculty or state of being able to "see"
If you take all these words, and bundle them up, what do you get? Is it ‘IT’?
Is ‘IT’ nameable? Does ‘IT’ need a name?

What did it take for us to be content (or not) to follow someone else’s lead?
What would it take for others to follow ours?
What would it mean for us to live in that place where ‘IT’ abides?
We could search forever but never find, that which isn’t hidden. Why?
I know that ‘IT’ is there for the taking.
I know that ‘IT’ always has been, and “IT” always will be available to all.
We are born with "IT" and we'll die with "IT", but how many of us will actually recognize, honor and allow "IT" to be present in our lives?
©SLP

Picture taken outside Piazza San Marco (Venice, Italy)