I went to see some old friends recently. We worked together a decade ago, reaching for the impossible. What I remember of the journey is chaos, craziness, and things nobody believed we could do followed by holding the impossible in our hands. We experienced incredible success that has only be revealed with the passage of time.
I wondered about them. I forget names, but I have seen their faces in my dreams far more than they realize. I had high hopes. I believed in them. I knew they were good at what they did. I also could see that they wanted to grow, to learn and to take on new challenges.
What I found exceeded anything in my dreams. They are working with smiles and continued commitment. They are engaged. They have moved from being a student to being teachers and leaders. I found myself awed, energized, and proud! They had stepped beyond my dreams. Each in her/his own way knew their stuff. Seeds then are now towering trees.
As I watched the expressions of those around them, I realized that those with potential seek out others of their kind. However they can, they do. Persevering, enduring, “they came on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.” (Psalm 18.45) They want to be More.
I look back and remember that it has not always been obvious that the team would win. The odds were stacked against them; jealousy, politics, and a changing business environment were the beginnings. I am sure there was help but it did not always come from the sources you expected. In the end, the good guys did survive. They grew into leaders that make a difference in the lives around them. The organization is stronger because of them. Our truth then has become a new truth now. The seed then is now a grown tree that is planting seeds of its own.
Reach is an interesting part of living. We have more than we realize and often less than we want. We think we will see the outcome.
Remember, good things take time.
