My all time favourite film is 'Dead Poets Society'...a somewhat cliched choice for some, and lampooned in a certain episode of 'Friends' in which Monica meets 'Other Monica' who has stolen her Identity and been living a life full of adventure. When 'Real Monica' asks 'Other Monica' what it is that enables her to live a life of such freedom, the response which comes is that 'I watched Dead Poets Society...and it was so dull I resolved never to waste two hours of my life like that again.' Ha!
However, for me, I remember watching the film for the first time as a teenager and being inspired to Dream big Dreams and Live a big Life...
One of my favourite quotes from the film:
Mr Keating: "Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." Don't be resigned to that. Break out!"
Even now, as a supposed 'grown up', at those times (and they come for all of us) in which I feel myself slipping into a moment of 'quiet desperation' I sink back into the ingrained memory of those moments when I realised that (in God) I could Live Big...
I have been reminded of this over the last few days because of a couple of things.
I was emailed an amazing quote by W.H. Murray, a Scottish mountain climber and writer. The email was exploring the idea that many people have immense dreams and visions and longings, but that they are paralysed to pursue them. That many of us feel the need to wait for concrete answers and absolute certainty before we leap into action or into the unknown, but that the nature of adventure and the commitment to living in the 'now' is simply the ability to ask good questions, gather the information that is available, and then act anyway - because if you don't, well, therein lies the path to 'quiet desperation'...
W.H. Murray says:
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative and creativity there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
That the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets: ‘Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.’”I am a dreamer and a ponderer by nature. Those who know me well know that I can overanalyse to the point of that paralysis sometimes. Being a dreamer has its benefits - I am reflective, and try to learn lessons from my journey, and I am filled with hope and excitement about what the road ahead looks like. But, in this, God is constantly teaching me the discipline of being 'fully present' to each moment - to not be hamstrung by the past or captivated by the 'what if's'. He's always having to remind me that, yes, that dream and vision He has awoken me to may exist firmly in the future, but if I don't move NOW I will never walk into it.
I have also been reminded of this because a week ago (how time flies!) I returned from a great adventure and season of learning with CPT (Christian Peacemaker Teams) in Iraq KRG (more about that soon). This trip threw up all kinds of personal learning opportunities in terms of the Kingdom of God, my journey, relationships, adventure and much more.
Whenever I have been 'on the road' I always find it hard to transition back into 'every day life,' (my wanderlust is far too strong) but even more so than normal this time. It took me a good 48 hours to be even capable of holding a coherant conversation about all that I was processing, which was not helped by the fact that my 'things I put off doing until I returned from my trip' list was longer than both my arms. Paralysis, meet Claire, Claire - Paralysis.
This is all compounded by the fact that I am in season of discernment about future opportunities - I have been for some time - and have become overwhelmed by the sheer volume of options and possibilities. God has been challenging me about this, and speaking more clearly into the things He has given me passions for, which is incredibly helpful. There are a couple of things that I am about to 'leap' into (more on those developments soon), but the 'framework' surrounding those things is still hazy.
I guess I just needed to be reminded, on several levels, that:
- it is OK not to have all the answers.
- that dreaming means action.
- that I don't have to be in control, just trust.
- and, to quote W.H. Murray: ‘Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it; boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.’
No comments:
Post a Comment