Living Your Vision

During one of our last classes I sat and observed a young man who has attended many of the courses we offer. The profiling process for me, after twenty six years of this, comes without a conscious decision to activate it. Like breathing, it just happens. This individual presented about a year ago thoroughly immersed in his own grief. In a clinical setting I would state that he presented with angst and anger surrounding an abnormal concern for environmental issues he percieves are beyond his control. This time, he was different. His economic situation is far worse, and, at the time of the class, he was living in a shelter. Yet, he seemed at ease, relaxed, and eager to be alive. His whole mannerism was that of wellness. It was apparent that while he had no real long term "plan", he was more than content with who he was and where he was at. "Priceless" was the thought the entered my mind. I have had the opportunity to meet and work with the well educated and the affluent; governors, rock stars, and wealthy folks. In each case I found that the criteria for happiness and being grounded had nothing to do with job security, economics, geography, or occupation. Some of the most "self actualized" folks I have met have been homeless, others with multiple homes across the country. Always, for each grounded and joyful life I have encountered, there were a dozen who were somehow prevented from reaching that level of "success". Joy was what seemed to be the missing component. The joy of a sunset with loved ones lasts as long as the sunset, or the loved ones. The joy of fulfilling ones purpose, ones reason for being, ones "vision", lasts a lifetime. Those embroiled in a life that falls short of this might lash out that this is the realm of the "pipe dreamer" or a selfish fantasy. I would answer that living a life of light and beauty is our duty. That, through example, we inspire those around us and encourage wellness to spread through individual accomplishment and fulfillment. Regardless of where that vision brings us, it is always frought with hard work, resistance, and alienation. The primary difference is that these things are our teacher. They test our resolve, sharpen our abilities, raise our awareness, increase our intellect, and validate our being. Those who are off of their path often see the obstacles that come up as excuses, or debilitating circumstances. So what is missing, and how do we find it?

You have to start from the beginning of your own memory. Your purpose is yours alone to discover or, more accurately, relearn. It starts with that "thing" you always wanted to be, or were drawn to as a child. As you grew it was always there. As you let your life unfold, other things, other voices, tempted you away from your purpose. If you are on your path, there is no doubt that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing. If your not on your path, it gnaws at you, huants you. Your favorite t.v. show, animal, topic of discussion all point the way to where you are supposed to be or be doing.

The next piece is faith. It takes a huge leap of faith and a commitment to live your vision. To do so means nothing less than to completely metamorphose in to the well human being that is your birthright. People around you may not recognize who emerges. Many who have fallen in love with, or have become dependant upon the misery and grief that was a part of your character will feel alienated, even betrayed, as you nurture the wellness within your being and let the "dis-ease" slip away. Oddly, with initial growth in to who you truly are, comes a wall of grief. When you awaken the joy, the strands of pain tug harder and become more vibrant. Addressing these is part of the healing process. Once they are dealt with, they become manageable and less overwhelming. It is after this process, which may take years, that living a whole, vibrant, and grounded life can really begin. This metamorphosis is an event to be celebrated.

So, I said to this young man, "You are a well and found being in a world that seems sick and lost." I wanted to let him know that riding that crest is a great thing. That it is easily lost if we get sucked in to the abyss of so many lost souls. It is much more important to walk with wellness as a living example, than to surrender to, and ultimately drown in, the insurmountable grief of those who don't even know they are lost.