Out Standing in your Field(s)

Boxing Day 2009... and I find myself reflecting.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of preparation for Christmas, I always find myself looking forward to, and appreciating, Christmas week. For me, it is a time to relax and recharge and rejuvenate. As a Baha'i (www.bahai.org), I experience the week as a time to be with myself and share some time with good friends and family, while still honouring the birth of Jesus the Christ, one of a number of Messengers of God recognized in the Baha'i Faith. Indeed, just yesterday, and for Christmas Day, I found myself having dinner shared by family of the Jewish, Christian and Baha'i Faiths. Quite wonderful! I hope that you experience such measures of friends, family, fun and festivity.

Still, I digress.

I do find myself reflecting.

The level of reflection which I have engaged and experienced yesterday and this morning has been deep and courageous. I found myself relying on the virtues of detachment (from expectations of any and all), prayerfulness (in quietly listening for the still, small voice inside), purposefulness and discernment (in reflecting on who I am and intend to be), and courage (to dare to be authentic). I am sure there were more, but, again, I digress.

Upon reflection, and keeping in mind the themes of authenticity and wholeness from my last blog entry, I saw my life as a synergy of four fields. I pictured myself within an open space made up of these four fields, four pastures if you will. Not unlike the final scene in Castaway where Tom Hanks' character finds four roads to choose from... but, in my case, I was not choosing... these four fields all make up who I am and intend to be.

In 2010, I will be celebrating my 50th birthday. As an NFL football freak, I understand that mid field is the 50 and half time leads into the best part of the game. I see my life that way. I have been blessed with trials and triumphs (as have we all). But those were in the first half. Now, is my time to play my game as best I can to finish with honour and personal victory.

My personal victory? To understnad that I lived a life of authenticity and accountability, to my core.

Deep huh? Not really. It means, for me, living life on purpose and passion. I am not a believer in reincarnation. If it exists, I guess it is a bonus. But, if not, I have this one life and I dare not believe the goal is to merely survive it. As a friend once told me, life is the only thing we cannot get out of alive. That being said, I believe there is more, but I believe we are to live this life best using what we have been given.

Again, I digress. ;-)

So, I am standing in the center of these four fields... MIND, BODY, SPIRIT, and SOUL.... and I am looking at those fields and seeing what grows in each to best represent me. What do I mean?

When I look upon the field of MIND, I look upon those things that center around ideas and work and service. I see myself as a "villager", the Unity Guy, committed to helping build genuine communities at work, school and beyond. I see Lhu Global, my calling and work. I see myself as a College Educator with College of the North Atlantic. I see my personal "MBA" and singing and dancing and speaking... teaching, training, facilitating, coaching, consulting, writing, cartooning, and doing improv... all in service and joy. I see myself as a Master Facilitator for the Virtues Project and Facilitator for Personality Dimensions. I see myself as a SMASH Leadership and MESH Management specialist. I see being a Ruhi Institute Tutor and Animator. Social networking and marketing is part of my field. I see myself as a communitrepreneur and communiteer (yup, made those up myself... social enterpriser and community builder). I am an amateur videographer on You Tube, a student and servant. I am an NFL freak and archer, applying those "skills and knowledge" to my work. I speak Mandarin. I travel in my work, in helping build communities. I am a P.Mgr and Certified Speaking Professional... and have my B. Comm. (Hon) - MIR.

When I look upon the field of BODY, I see a workout guy, walker, hiker, biker, archer and dancer. I see the best shape of my life, in the second half, yup. I see myself loving and mastering Salsa and other latin dance. I see myself a man of health and wealth, with my current home and a small summer home by the ocean... oh and my Honda Shadow 750. ;-)

Then, I look upon the field of SPIRIT. I see myself as friend, romantic, biker, coffee and dinner guy, Salsa dancer, volunteer, world citizen, movie and theater guy, NFL freak, karaoke guy, music man, lover (of life and more), reader, son, brother,, and uncle. I see myself with Panda (my bud, my dog) and others, including wild foxes upon the land. Yes indeed. My emotional health is based on a life of love, romance (true romance) and passion. I am a happy and joyful being. Whole.

Finally, I gaze upon the field I call SOUL, something deeper. I see myself as oceanwatcher, snowwalker, tribal spirit, stargazer. Most of all, I am Baha'i... and I have experience Pilgrimage. I am Barry, as created to be.

So, I stand amongst my four fields, knowing yours might be similar or very different. I draw upon these four fields, not choosing but experiencing all of the coolness of their respective beauties. I am all of this. There are no dichotomies, no pardaoxes. These are me, and I place them out there (out here in the blogosphere) to not only claim authenticity, but accountability. This is my living bucket list. These things I claim as I stand my middle ground.

So, what am I suggesting? Give yourself a gift this Christmas. Stand amongst your four fields and explore your "land"... stake your claim. Take ownership. As an additional suggestion, I say look at this video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DrX8AFIQao and create your own "wall" to reflect your fields.

They are your fields of dreams, my friends... find them, live them, love them.

Be OUT STANDING in your FIELD ... LOL.

God bless and Season's Greetings to all.

Love and joy and peace and courage...

Barry