It's been over a month since I posted. It isn't for a lack of material. It has been the lack of inspiration. A good friend told me, don't write just because you have to. Write when something inspires you. That's when you write the best. I beat myself up for a few weeks before this was said to me. I felt guilty for not writing. I felt like I was failing to fulfill my commitment. My commitment to write words? Or my commitment to impart perspective and to share light and positivity? I don't want to write to just to write. I want to contribute! How can I impart light and
positivity if I'm not inspired to do so? Well, there you have it; the reason I have been silent these last few weeks. So what inspired me today? Well, first it was my niece. She called me a week or so ago and told me she needed to fulfill an obligation to 'shadow' a professional for one day and then write about her experience. She needed to accomplish this in order to obtain a certificate of completion for an academy she had entered in her freshman year of high school. She recently won TWO scholarships to universities in Washington state and I didn't think I could be any prouder of her. But, she managed to top my view of her when she came to work with me for a day. Realize that her view of this obligation was just that; an obligation. She had no true interest in the industry and was just checking a box to get a certificate. Despite this fact, she came to the workplace with a smile and tentatively began asking questions. As she received more answers, I witnessed something miraculous. Suddenly she became engaged, interested and excited. I watched this girl, in less than 6 hours of exposure to an industry, completely change her goals and aspirations.
She has accepted her scholarship with a new direction. She is beaming with anticipation of her future. It's a beautiful sight. She was introduced to people who love their work and they inspired her to do more than she originally planned. The things they shared with her has now effected her decisions and thus changed her life. Talk about AWESOME!
The second thing that inspired me was a quote of a poem in the movie, Coach Carter.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. 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 does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Marianne Williamson
This poem reminds us to be all that we are supposed to be. To rise and shine as our parents told us to do every morning. We are obligated to give all that we are to the world. While I am not a religious person I view the reference to God as our privilege to be here. We came in to existence for a purpose. It is our responsibility to find that purpose and fulfill it.
You ask, what could be my purpose? Why am I here? It could be that you are here to touch people in a way they would have never been touched if you were not in their lives. Or it could be that you are to be in a certain place at a certain time, to influence the outcome of an event or it could be that you are supposed to contribute to the world in a way that no one else could. Whatever we are supposed to do, be assured that you DO have a purpose and what you do and say will impact someone or something. That is what is inspiring me today. Read the poem again. Know that you are powerful and will influence someone and/or something. Be who you are and shine!
first!
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