If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. – Sir Isaac Newton
I haven’t written much lately. I’m not sick, dying, disenchanted with the world or anything else.
I’m busy participating in the creation of new worlds – new worlds for business colleagues, new worlds for investors, new worlds for people trying to escape the tyranny of abuse and violence and new worlds for my family.
It’s called living your priorities.
It’s also called answering the call that is your purpose.
I continue to watch the world with a cautious eye – my mind is overwhelmed with awe at the beauty, love and potential that exists in our world while simultaneously being overwhelmed with disappointment at the ignorance, greed and fear that is far too present also.
Light and darkness co-exist in a dance that invites each of us to choose which side we would like to participate in.
As a realistic optimist, I believe that a beautiful world becomes what we believe it is as long as we don’t forget that evil exists.
Some people call that pessimism – to acknowledge that evil exists at all.
I find that many people who accuse others of pessimism are often the most pessimistic people themselves (the same is true for many people who wave the racist flag).
I also believe that the unlimited potential for love and beauty in the world only exists as long as we continue to fight for it. To not fight for it is to open a door that allows us to be overrun by darkness. To deny that evil exists is like looking at the flashing light on your dashboard and covering it up with tape so that its incessant warning doesn’t annoy you.
The same is true within the small circle that is our respective lives.
So I continue to fight for light and love.
The fight is not always broadcast in a blog and is not done for glory, awards or attention.
It's not always a gentle fight nor can I be the gentle giant all the time. Sometimes you have to get in someone's face to protect and promote what you believe is important in the world (upsetting those people can sometimes be a reward in itself).
But the fight is worth it.
And it’s necessary.
As birthday greetings flowed in today from around the world, this big macho guy, standing over 6’3” and 235 pounds, found himself overcome with the emotion of gratitude.
I posted this on Facebook today:
On this day every year when birthday greetings flow in, I am staggered and overwhelmed by the love and kindness that I receive.
People from every phase of my Life, from Kindergarten through school, through every part of my career, through my personal interests, my family.
Oh what a gift all of you are in my Life.
The great things I have accomplished in my Life are because of you.
The mistakes I have made are my own doing.
Thank you for the Blessing that is my Life.
They say that you are the company that you keep. If that is true, then I am amazing ... because of how amazing you are.
Thank you from my heart.
Our world becomes what we choose to create.
If we choose to allow it to just “be” or we wait for someone else to make the world a better place, it may not become what it could be or should be for us, our families, our friends and others who are important to us.
Would you find such a world acceptable?
I don’t.
I close every email with one of two closings, a shorter or longer one, the longer of which I will share here.
Create a great day, because merely having one is too passive an experience.
Many great people have helped me create a great Life, something I am eternally grateful for.
This in turn creates a responsibility in me to help create a great Life for others.
May you be so blessed.
And may you have the opportunity to be that blessing for others.
The world is waiting for you – your talents, your gifts, your strengths, your energy, your ideas and your love.
What are you waiting for?
In service and servanthood,
Harry
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