I haven't posted a new essay in a week or so — not that I haven't had anything to say! Lord knows I have more words than the average male! All you have to do is ask my wife! She will confirm wholeheartedly! No, I have been extremely busy working on other projects related to my private counseling practice, motivational speaking opportunities and a few short story ideas. Creating the perfect query letter has also been on my plate as I prepare to submit some of my work to an agency that represents both authors and speakers! So . . . I have allowed myself time to focus on those endeavors in order to realize part of the good life I am in the process of creating! You see, when I write the essays that I post, I work to make sure that I am following what I write. Otherwise, the words become hollow rhetoric and lose their potential power to affect change in others.
This interlude from posting essays has opened doors for me to explore thoughts and ideas from different perspectives. In a sense, I find myself energized anew as I work to make a difference for myself and others on this journey called LIFE! The unbelievably chaotic sequence of events over the past nine or so days has given me pause — forced me to look at what we are all facing in light of what we can do to live successfully, confidently and fully in this particular set of "Mean Times!"
Now, more than ever, I am convinced that Life CAN Be Good and that People DO Create Good Lives! In order to do so, however, we might be required to adjust our plan – be required to step into territory that may be foreign to our standard ways of thinking and acting. We likely will be called upon to abandon that which is familiar and embrace that which is uncertain. We find ourselves in largely uncharted waters. We truly have the chance to take charge of our lives in new and different ways!
At the risk of sounding "preachery" (and I will risk that for the moment), I want to say that perhaps it is time to REPENT from the folly of following paths that only lead us into further confusion. Now don't go getting all antsy on me here! I want to explore repentance in a little different light — a light that might provide direction for all of us as we work to live in the meantimes.
Let's face it, with the current world-wide financial debacle, having faith in our leaders to know what to do becomes more and more difficult each day! To top it all off, we are in a Presidential Election year — a time when sometimes empty rhetoric pounds us into near oblivion! Certainly we are all aware that it will take more than one person to clearly, competently and completely address the challenges we face — aren't we? Certainly we are not naive enough to believe that one person can change the tide and singlehandedly save the world! Even on the wildly popular television show, Heroes, we see that many are required to accomplish the task of "saving the world!"
At the risk of sounding simplistic in addressing this issue of repentance, I would like to paint two pictures for your consideration.
First, I would like to point out the difference between a "180" and a "360!" In basketball, a"360" refers to a kind of slam dunk shot that requires the shooter to run full bore while skillfully dribbling the basketball toward the goal; pick the ball up while taking the allowed number of steps in the process; launch himself (or herself) into the air; begin rotating so that he/she flies backward for a short distance only to come full circle facing the goal once again; and slam the ball through the hoop followed by the obligatory "hang from the rim!" Now I must say, these shots are truly impressive — they cause short guys like me to marvel at the athletic prowess necessary to complete such an over the top kind of accomplishment. However, as impressive as those "360's" are, they do not always win games or turn the tide for the team. Now a "180" may actually be the best way to win a basketball game — in the sense that the more times you create a turnover — stealing the ball and therefore the chance for the opposition to score — and send it in the other direction resulting in a score for your team, the more likely you are to win the game. Now let's face it, "360's" are very impressive, but "180's" may actually make the real difference!
Second, I would like to point out the difference between "speed boat" changes and "ocean liner" changes. If you have ever ridden in a speed boat or ski boat, you know that you have the ability to change course at the drop of a hat! All you have to do is whip the wheel either hard right or left and BOOM, you are headed in the opposite direction — a "180," right? Yep! Right! The only problem with "speed boat 180's" is that you can do another as quickly as you did the first and be headed in the same direction you were originally. "Speed boat" changes are extremely exciting, fun, entertaining and unpredictable. Many times, I see us make "speed boat" changes in our lives that ultimately get us nowhere near our intended goal due to the fact that we continually "whip that wheel" creating choppy waters for ourselves! On the other hand, when we make "ocean liner" changes the process is more involved and calculated. It takes time to complete the "180" and therefore demands planning and persistence.
In effect, in order to repent, we must make a change that heads us in the opposite direction — a "180" — and requires us to make the change of direction as meaningful as possible. In other words, we are turning from one thing in order to embrace and focus on another thing that promises fulfillment of our dreams or goals!
Many years ago, I was introduced to a fascinating piece of writing while in graduate school. The title of the piece is Autobiography in Five Short Chapters, by Portia Nelson. It goes like this:
Chapter One
I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost . . . I am helpless. It isn't my fault. I takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter Two
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in the same place but it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter Three
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it is there. I still fall in . . . it's a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.
Chapter Four
I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
Chapter Five
I walk down another street!
Kinda cool, huh? I wonder what might happen for us — for our country — if we were to apply the lessons revealed in this short essay? This is a beautiful illustration of repentance — and a realistic look at how difficult the process can be as well! Repentance is not an easy task to embrace. It requires courage, determination and insight!
We often find ways to reject the necessity of repentance by highlighting the complexity of our situation as a reason that simply doing a "180" will not work. We (individuals, parents, spouses, children, lawmakers) devise a series of plans to address the challenges we face that are so complex, we have difficulty even explaining the details. Our belief is that complex problems require complex solutions. Perhaps you are familiar with Occam's Razor! In an effort to synthesize the essence of this theory, let me define it in the following way:
"Occam's razor is a principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan Friar, William of Occam. The principle states that the explanation of any phenomenon should make as few assumptions as possible, eliminating those that make no difference in the observable predictions of the explanatory hypothesis or theory. This is often paraphrased as "All other things being equal, the simplest solution is the best." In other words, when multiple competing theories are equal in other respects, the principle recommends selecting the theory that introduces the fewest assumptions and postulates the fewest entities. It is in this sense that Occam's razor is usually understood." (Definition a compilation of multiple explanations of Occam's Razor)
What might happen in our country if our leaders were to come together, openly and publicly admit that they have screwed up, take full responsibility for their actions as leaders, determine to stop "blame-shifting" and sit down to work toward long-term solutions based on the concepts of Occam's Razor and doing a "180?" Simplistic? Maybe! Doable? Yes, I think so! Likely? That remains to be seen! Did you ever see the movie, Dave, with Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver? I particularly loved the scene where Dave got the cabinet members together and asked for their input on how to solve a problem and they all actually worked together to successfully address the issues at hand! They were successful and felt needed and accomplished! What a novel idea!
We all make mistakes — all the time! None of us are exempt. In order to Break Free from the tyranny of those mistakes that can quickly become habits, we must repent — do a "180" from the helm of our "ocean liner" and begin breaking our challenges down to the smallest parts so that we can competently make changes that open the doors for success in all we do!
Mary Pickford said it this way, "Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it. If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down."
Breaking Freeis the process of walking down a new street; making a "180" in our lives; employing "ocean liner" changes; seeking the simplest solution; and getting up when we have fallen — it is repentance in its truest form.
How will you break free in your life today? What changes need to be made? What bridges need mending? What questions need asking? How will we together communicate this to our leaders?
Until next time — Peace!
Mark
Copyright 2008 Mark E. Hundley
