“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others.” —- Jonathan Swift
We’ve all been in the position of exhibiting a great deal of what seemed like an eternity of patience, with those who just didn’t seem to comprehend our position, thought process, intention, view, machinations of thinking, or evolution of our actions. Taking a brief moment in reflection, try to remember what individuals made a deep impact in your life from the very earliest years to the present moment. What specifically made them indelible in your life, and how did they exhibit the manner in which you now find them invaluable in this journey we call life? The first imprinting came from our parents, or those who cared for us in one way or another. We were given the ability and the gift of time, to assimilate tenets of what these early role models wished to impart as a step in our growth. They exhibited the vision through patience, that most of us lacked and the flexibility, wisdom, and skill set to afford us the consequence in sifting through our own developing thought processes eventually seeing what they hoped we would grasp, without judgment. How very fortunate we were then, and in every step from that point on to have those astute, compassionate, unselfish individuals sharing the enlightenment of their vision with us, and waiting for us to finally . . . get it. Helen Keller said it another way, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.”
As an educator over many years working with students on various levels in different subject areas in both academic and performance, I felt an immense privilege sharing the opportunity to see how these young people experienced vision. There exists no specific time frame when an individual, in this instance young students, respond to a new idea, process, technique, exercise or teaching principle. Of course, as with our early role models, educators, mentors etc., there is always a certain amount of frustration, confusion, impatience and exasperation on both sides. However, once the connection in understanding is made the experience becomes inexpressible elation for everyone. As time went on, the fundamental principle that became very evident was more a learning experience for me regarding the profound responsibility given to all of us regarding vision, enlightenment and trust. In discovering who we are consciously in whatever walk of life we find ourselves, this quote of Carl Jung rings very true . . . “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
What happened in our early years carries forward to the present moment. Don’t think it does not, as we are all products of our orientation and environment. Change happens, of course, over a great deal of time, discernment, present awareness and contemplative consciousness. Those years that I was an educator, I consider an immense gift in which I often reflect on these words of J. Kennedy Shultz, from A Legacy of Truth . . . “The only thing we really have to offer each other is inspiration. We cannot give people anything. We can only awaken them to something within themselves, and this is not done by argument, but by example.” JLR