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The Power of Inspiration ... and the wisdom in persisting Vol. 1, No. 4 * 20 November 2008  By JCI Mem. EMI ROSE R. PARCON2009 President
Oh, I am an addict.
This, I just realized.
I get the ultimate high in getting inspired, in seeing a vision that is expected to change the world. I'm an obsessed idealist, perhaps. Maybe that's why I'm a perpetual activist (in the reformist sense. And, don't worry, I'm non-violent)
Though I'm a Zen believer, and I am often reminded to find perfection in the present moment and in the "what is," I feel giddy and energetic at the thought of doing something for the betterment of a certain part of society, if not necessarily the world.
More so, if I get glimpses of that so-called better world. Sometimes, it is through lunch with a group of people I don't normally associate with and they present me with perspective of the society they revolve in. Or, through books by authors who've had epiphanies of the possibilities of a more humane society. Or, through moments when I see hope in the eyes of those who are often hopeless and impoverished.
Or through fellowship gatherings among JCI chapters where all forms of unspoken conflict and tension seem to disappear and the sense of competition dissipate.
I revel in those moments. I get so high, I feel like hugging the world.
Come Crashing Down
Oh, I get hit by reality pretty often, too. My head's not up in the clouds all the time. I've argued with friends, had moments of depression, cried bucketfuls and risked my time and resources for inspiring projects I so believed in. Going after the vision I see is not easy. But, as always, I'm stubborn and unrelenting. I never give up (strategically, I mean. Tactically, I also give up on the manner I pursue things in aiming for my vision but my causes have remained on fire in my heart).
But I realized that people are not necessarily me. They don't mirror my philosophies often. That's why I got concerned seeing my board of directors and officers looking miserable (?) and serious during our recent special meeting. I asked myself, "what have I done to make them feel like the world is on their shoulders?". I must admit, I could be overbearing, demanding and, well, a bit strict. And, I, sometimes, do not sugarcoat things and make things look more problematic than what they usually are. I forget that we are but a small team. I forget that though we should not give up on the world, we should not force it to change overnight. I forget the lessons from the farmer: that there are seasons of waiting after the planting. Harvest does not come automatically. Patience is needed.
Sometimes, We Just Don't See
But when reality does set in, I often remember the true story of the ant at the bottom of a climbing area. I forgot where I read it or whose story it is. But, I remember the lesson so well.
The story goes:
A lady climber was practicing for a mountain climbing expedition. But she wears contacts due to some eyesight problem. In the middle of the climb, one of her contacts got loose and fell off. Her eyesight got blurry. And she had to go back down.
Though she went down easily through the help of a fellow climber, she was concerned about the loss. It was a rather expensive lens, one she could not easily replace given her financial state of things at that point.
But, lo, and behold. Right below her, an ant was carrying the rather heavy, unedible contacts she lost. Her climbing partner saw it, even if it was rather relatively minute. She got her contacts back and didn't have to worry about buying another.
But the point there is, why would an ant carry a rather unedible and inorganic material?
The ant might have said, perhaps, "Lord, I don't know why I was carrying that or what it was for when, in fact, a giant took it away from me without me really being able to make use of it. But still, I carried it, Lord, because it came to me. And, all I know, is that whatever comes my way, I must embrace. Because it is from you."
Of course, those thoughts from the ant is not part of the facts of the story. It just somehow got interpreted that way.
But you see, the point there is: sometimes, we have big stuff to carry, even when we don't really know what they are for or what we get out of them. But, when we choose to carry, we are doing our share of making things better for someone.
Sometimes, we don't see that. We just see the burden.
I Was Made to Carry, Too
An inspiration led me to heartbreaks, a cash flow problem and a rift with two friends. A vision to share the story of a much-loved book, The Little Prince, got me and two of my friends to adapt the story and made it into a play.
We were so inspired.
But, we had to work with only three months to prepare. We lacked financial support and had a relatively inexperienced group of actors, a group of kids from SOS Children's Village. We had to train them and do workshops.
All sponsorships were all ex-deals. We had to dig into our pockets and spend.
The tension got the three of us into conflict with each other, we had to take a break from the work and re-assess. Good thing our years of friendship were stronger than our problems. We prevailed.
The play was relatively successful: full-packed venue, engaged audience, satisfied actors and a small profit to boot. My son got his library collection from our sponsorship from Grollier. And, we got our actors and actresses and some of their friends to play and enjoy the facilities of one of our sponsors.
But we never really did rekindle the fire after that, hard as we try.
During one of my conversations with this philosophical friend of mine, who was the director of that play, somehow, convinced us that what we did was not really for us, primarily. Though it did take us away from our boredom and we now have a small performing arts company and a small profit to ourselves, we believe it was for those actor kids we worked with.
We transformed them. Or, IT transformed them. They are more confident, creative, expressive, and more affectionate and focused after the play.
And, somehow, they got a taste of the limelight.
We are convinced that at some point before that, one of those actor kids prayed to become an actor, or prayed for something that that production somehow gave him or her.
And we had to carry the problem for a while to give them that.
When It Hits, Pursue
That's why when inspiration hits, I jump and ride it. But when reality hits soon after that, I still pursue. Because that play production experience and some others have taught me that an inspiration has a purpose. It is to get you moving. Obstacles have purposes, too. Sometimes, they help you get better.
That's why when I met a new friend, April Dequito of Omnilogy, Inc. , I did not allow fear to take over my heart. Rather, I listened to the inspiration and insist we support them. And now when things are starting to get difficult and tedious, I still decide to persist. Because, I've been there. I've been challenged before. I, somehow, helped somebody or some people because I persisted. I, somehow, became better because I persisted.
I am, now, in the roller coaster of highs and lows.
Come ride with me.
Allow yourself to get inspired.
Allow yourself to get challenged.
It's a wonderful ride, I assure you.
So...
...what is inspiring you today?
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