I grew up with tall stories, myths, and extraordinary ideas. My father’s gift to me was a enduring belief in the impossible. I believed I could do anything. While I have tilted at more than my fair share of windmills, the road from then to now has been filled with extraordinary experiences.
As I begin another chapter, the lessons of the elephant are fresh in my mind. While the nuances may be Life tailored for me, I want to share them with you in the hope that you will be on a quest to find and embrace the elephant story in your life.
As big as any idea might be, there are other “big” stories in our lives. I usually discover the magnitude of the story in the middle of it. My big achievements did not seem big when I started. The lesson of not being intimidated by magnitude is essential. The beginning, big and small, is always the same. See, taste, and experience what it is without categorizing. Ask a question and then stand out of the way so the mind is open to whatever follows.
Elephants can always choke you if you are not careful. The lesson of the beginning applies to every step along the way. Patience, perseverance, and a willingness to endure are essential to the process of a journey with many steps. Even as awe grows within, appreciate the fact that you are, like me, a child of God. There is “awe” living within us by choice. We may not deserve the Presence (at least I do not), but Divinity has chosen to live within us. Embrace the joys and wonder in every moment, especially when it is linked to an elephant.
The greatest elephant in my life is within a Divine statement that I am God’s child. To this elephant, my reply begins with a psalm; “This is too much, too wonderful – I can’t take it all in!” (Psalm 139.6) In each step, I will accept this love and love more. I will accept this embrace and embrace more.
