Capitol Hill Reflection
To you…Thank you for sharing your wisdom with me. I had seen you around before and honestly I had the wrong perception. I guess I did not know enough about you. Before we had the opportunity to speak that day, I wondered how is it that you do it? Why? It is a lot of work and sacrifice, stress, time away from family, so I asked you directly. This is my recollection of the story.
“Sometimes in life Liz, you get THAT opportunity you’ve always wanted. There you are…you sit in the moment to take it ALL IN. It is happening! The opportunity to change lives, even if it is in your little corner of the world! Then, for a split second you begin to wonder…WHY AM I DOING IT? The answer comes as a memory. An experience comes to mind…the memory of a moment in time when you witnessed the impact of your actions in the lives of others; the decisions you made then to make ‘it’ happen for them.
Whatever ‘it’ was. You only had a moment but you DID something. The right thing based on your best judgment. They come to you many years later and tell you that your actions CHANGED THEIR LIVES in a great way, and they never forgot you for it. An overwhelming feeling of AWE takes over! You often believe that you are so insignificant. Let’s be honest here, one person can’t do much.
Although you can’t make sense of it, you DO know it is possible that ONE person CAN DO something. It feels like an ADRENALINE RUSH! Your heart is pounding heavily and your mind has laser sharp focus on ‘something!’ This feeling pushes you forward to do more! ONLY YOU FEEL IT AND SEE IT THROUGH. The possibilities! It moves you into ACTION! You keep at it, it may make sense to some people and no sense whatsoever to others, or it sounds scary, too big but you don’t care because it is inexplicable. ‘It’ pushes you to go over the edge…adrenaline is running through your veins and you do something because you can’t contain it. You are convinced that your actions are the right thing to do because you simply KNOW it!
And then…you take a sudden step into action! Sadly, right after doubt comes in, fear creeps in through the cracks of your soul, hesitation, questions, nerves…and then you ask yourself in a panic…WHY DID I DO THAT? I CAN’T GO BACK ON IT NOW!
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Liz, this is what I will tell you. The answer is so simple…
NOW, YOU DELIVER!”
At that moment after listening to his words, I GOT IT! Honestly, I will always remember the moment. I could relate so much to his words. I have felt that way, done things and then hesitated.
The lesson: Don’t be afraid. Allow your HEART to FEEL and then put your MIND to WORK…and when fear comes in, USE IT as fuel to push you to DELIVER. That’s how one person can DO IT.
Much Love.
