“I can see clearly now the rain is gone. I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day.”
Jimmy Cliff
I’ve never experienced so much excitement, clarity and insight in my life. After four weeks of intense training, seeking, collaboration and rest — it happened. I awakened and my plan lay before me in precise, perfect detail. It didn’t happen overnight. It took work, reflection and vision.
Vision is a funny thing. The way nature has it, our 20/20 vision begins to blur as we age. Our childlike insight fades too. Insightfully, kids keep it simple by being happy and basking in the sun. then they grow up and suddenly basking in the sun isn’t enough. Instead of sourcing Vitamin D and energy from nature, we use supplements and machines to go faster and do more. We end up on the hamster wheel of life — moving quickly, blindly, so things get blurred. I was on a trajectory where if two bright red cars crashed in front of me, I couldn’t see it as a car crash, because everything looked like a crash in the blur of my fast-paced life.
So I journeyed to Bali to regroup.
Upon arrival, there was a message in the lobby about the John Fawcett Foundation. For every night a guest stayed, 20 people received sight. Guests get insight and give sight. It was a nice thought, but I was rushing to figure things out so it became another blurred red car crash. However, there is always a master plan for every journey, and as I entered my final week, my purpose because clearer. We took a visit to the Fawcett Foundation and saw first-hand results from eye surgeries and then, “Wham Bam” — it hit me!
As these patients had the patches removed from their eyes, the smiles, tears and excitement overwhelmed them and ignited a spark in me. Looking through my own teary, joy-filled eyes, my mind, heart and spirit merged. I could see clearly that my 15-year journey was leading me to a higher purpose — connecting with other people. The path for my future was clear. It was always in front of me. When those kids got their sight, I received my gift of sight, too.
Helen Keller explained it best when she said: “What I’m looking for is not out there, it is in me,” and “Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them; but do not let them master you. Let them teach you patience, sweetness, insight.”
I am part of a much bigger picture and it is not just about ME — it is about WE. We are all connected but we don’t always know it. When we open our eyes and look at what matters, it becomes crystal clear that we must tend to each other. There is a growing consciousness gaining momentum across the world. Let’s face it, we’re not alone in believing there’s a better way.
I realize that planning and hard work does pay off, but it must be balanced with quieting the noise and eliminating distractions. This clear insight came through connecting with others — in particular, others who were literally blind. Our happiness and success is not based on having and doing more — it’s based on being more. Who are you connecting with to create happiness in your life and theirs?
Ralph
