They say it takes a village. For me it was a Shining City on a Hill. I hope that Reagan Era reference fully reflects the gratitude to my village. The village that raised me. I've found as I get older, learn more, and accumulate life experience, I sit in disbelief from time to time, at how much I was given. How fortunate I am. How much gratitude I'm filled with. And how much enlightenment, how much purpose I've found in the realization of that blessing.
Not everyone was as fortunate as I was, to grow up where I did, with who I did, doing what I did. It's something you realize as you interact with people, as you explore the world, and as you take a step back. So we ask ourselves in reflection, as an individuals who were fortunate, three questions.
1. How does our upbringing influence who we are? What did our circumstances do for us, and what did they lack?
2. How can we continue the cycle in our lives, for the people we will bring into existence?
3. And finally, how can we capitalize on our own fortune to help others? What can we do to bring benefit to others from the gifts we've received?
1. The first question is one that requires some serious introspection. But I urge everyone to think about it. Some people grow up without mothers or fathers or brothers and sisters. Some grow up with an abundance of wealth in their lives. But nonetheless, each of our beginnings affect our middles, and our ends. Good and Bad. The father that was present can be just as damaging as the father that was absent. The country club and peewee leagues can be just as beneficial as they can be blinding. The two bedroom apartment and single mother can create world leaders. The silver spoon can breed philanthropists. We are not in a position to judge nor make assumptions. We're only able to reflect on our own past, and then share. When I reflect on my own past, my own upbringing, I realize the value of family. Parents that were concerned and not overbearing. Brothers that have your back. And animals to teach a young child compassion and responsibility. But it was adversity that helped me break the constraints of the easy life. Something unique to my own circumstances. Unanticipated. A beautiful curse. Obviously I cannot advocate the seeking out of adversity for people who do not experience it otherwise, but I cannot deny its importance on my own upbringing and on so many others. In the end, our circumstances can define us and drive us. They can damage us or assist us. But we are not bound by them. We need only be aware of their impact. Their power on who we are. And then make a decision to move on.
2. All our lives we keep this awareness of our circumstances tucked away in our subconscious, occasionally drawing on it for answers and introspection. But towards a certain milestone in most of our lives, we begin to pull it into the conscious so that we have access as we begin to implement it. Life is full of irony. We begin life, subject to circumstances that are out of our control, and then when we are in control of creating someone else's circumstances, we lose control. There is a real art in helping our future families have the best circumstances possible. We either fix what was wrong with our own or we seek to recreate what was right. The challenge lies in knowing the difference. If it truly takes a village, then the other challenge is finding the right village. And if you can't find it, create it. Choosing the right partner, allocating enough time to being a mother or father, disciplining correctly, promoting curiosity, spreading love, fostering strength and confidence, trying to help without spoil, or hurt without damaging, it's all challenging and all important. So we draw on those fragments in our subconscious. We look inward so that we can be the best outward. And we try our best.
3. Once we become aware of the impact of our circumstances, how its shaped us, and we're freed from the constraints of them, we should seek to share this knowledge, and to use our positions to help others in different positions. If your circumstances were not favorable, but you succeeded in breaking away, you can easily inspire others who's circumstances are like yours, to free themselves too and the cycle continues. If your circumstances were favorable and you made something of your good fortune, you can equally inspire others in favorable situations to not squander their gifts. And if you had specific defining circumstances that helped you find purpose or put you in a position of influence, or just generally awoke you from a mindless slumber, then you too are in a fantastic position to bring enlightenment and encouragement to a massive amount of people in need. The first step is to understand yourself. The second step is to realize what you're capable of. The third step is to seek purpose in light of these understandings. And finally, the end goal should be to use yourself, your experiences, and your knowledge of the your truth, to help others find their way. To help them change their circumstances. To create a better future for those they care about. And to join the cycle of introspection for the sake of improvement.
Throughout the course of humanity we as a species have borne witness to incredible individuals changing the course of history and improving life on Earth. We've seen the manifestation of evil in human form and the eternal scars that they've left. We've seen many acts of generosity, small and large. We've seen heroes and villains. And with each one, it took a village. So we become aware of this constant. This infallible truth. And we realize the value of that village. If we can seek to understand our own village, maybe we can inspire others to do the same. And with reflection comes contemplation. Contemplation creates wisdom. And wisdom breeds improvement.
Not everyone was as fortunate as I was, to grow up where I did, with who I did, doing what I did. It's something you realize as you interact with people, as you explore the world, and as you take a step back. So we ask ourselves in reflection, as an individuals who were fortunate, three questions.
1. How does our upbringing influence who we are? What did our circumstances do for us, and what did they lack?
2. How can we continue the cycle in our lives, for the people we will bring into existence?
3. And finally, how can we capitalize on our own fortune to help others? What can we do to bring benefit to others from the gifts we've received?
1. The first question is one that requires some serious introspection. But I urge everyone to think about it. Some people grow up without mothers or fathers or brothers and sisters. Some grow up with an abundance of wealth in their lives. But nonetheless, each of our beginnings affect our middles, and our ends. Good and Bad. The father that was present can be just as damaging as the father that was absent. The country club and peewee leagues can be just as beneficial as they can be blinding. The two bedroom apartment and single mother can create world leaders. The silver spoon can breed philanthropists. We are not in a position to judge nor make assumptions. We're only able to reflect on our own past, and then share. When I reflect on my own past, my own upbringing, I realize the value of family. Parents that were concerned and not overbearing. Brothers that have your back. And animals to teach a young child compassion and responsibility. But it was adversity that helped me break the constraints of the easy life. Something unique to my own circumstances. Unanticipated. A beautiful curse. Obviously I cannot advocate the seeking out of adversity for people who do not experience it otherwise, but I cannot deny its importance on my own upbringing and on so many others. In the end, our circumstances can define us and drive us. They can damage us or assist us. But we are not bound by them. We need only be aware of their impact. Their power on who we are. And then make a decision to move on.
2. All our lives we keep this awareness of our circumstances tucked away in our subconscious, occasionally drawing on it for answers and introspection. But towards a certain milestone in most of our lives, we begin to pull it into the conscious so that we have access as we begin to implement it. Life is full of irony. We begin life, subject to circumstances that are out of our control, and then when we are in control of creating someone else's circumstances, we lose control. There is a real art in helping our future families have the best circumstances possible. We either fix what was wrong with our own or we seek to recreate what was right. The challenge lies in knowing the difference. If it truly takes a village, then the other challenge is finding the right village. And if you can't find it, create it. Choosing the right partner, allocating enough time to being a mother or father, disciplining correctly, promoting curiosity, spreading love, fostering strength and confidence, trying to help without spoil, or hurt without damaging, it's all challenging and all important. So we draw on those fragments in our subconscious. We look inward so that we can be the best outward. And we try our best.
3. Once we become aware of the impact of our circumstances, how its shaped us, and we're freed from the constraints of them, we should seek to share this knowledge, and to use our positions to help others in different positions. If your circumstances were not favorable, but you succeeded in breaking away, you can easily inspire others who's circumstances are like yours, to free themselves too and the cycle continues. If your circumstances were favorable and you made something of your good fortune, you can equally inspire others in favorable situations to not squander their gifts. And if you had specific defining circumstances that helped you find purpose or put you in a position of influence, or just generally awoke you from a mindless slumber, then you too are in a fantastic position to bring enlightenment and encouragement to a massive amount of people in need. The first step is to understand yourself. The second step is to realize what you're capable of. The third step is to seek purpose in light of these understandings. And finally, the end goal should be to use yourself, your experiences, and your knowledge of the your truth, to help others find their way. To help them change their circumstances. To create a better future for those they care about. And to join the cycle of introspection for the sake of improvement.
Throughout the course of humanity we as a species have borne witness to incredible individuals changing the course of history and improving life on Earth. We've seen the manifestation of evil in human form and the eternal scars that they've left. We've seen many acts of generosity, small and large. We've seen heroes and villains. And with each one, it took a village. So we become aware of this constant. This infallible truth. And we realize the value of that village. If we can seek to understand our own village, maybe we can inspire others to do the same. And with reflection comes contemplation. Contemplation creates wisdom. And wisdom breeds improvement.
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