Hold the Vision

For all of my life I have been a questioner, a ‘why’ and ‘how’ person. I have sought to understand almost everything that has crossed my path, especially other people, human nature, cultures and the meaning of life. This constant ‘why’ and ‘how’ is what drove me to study English and Anthropology at university, to then train and work as a Librarian and a teacher and more recently to work in Mental Health. I have not kept my ‘why’ and ‘how’ questioning to myself, rather I have encouraged and worked with others to assist them to gently ask their own questions, to ponder and grapple with their answers and be open to who they are.

As a Librarian I learnt the skills of how to find information, to organize and use it and to impart these skills to others so that they were equipped to become independent life-long learners able to ask and answer their own ‘why’ and ‘how’ questions. As a teacher my goal was to honour and address the whole individual and to teach more than just facts. I worked to assist my students to ask questions as a means to identify and employ their preferred learning styles, their passions, their strengths and areas to develop, to better understand themselves and others, to experience the joy of learning and begin the process of discovering their ‘vocation’ in life. Now as a Mental Health worker I work with clients assisting them to question themselves and identify their strengths, values, and skills to achieve their life vision.

Living a life of purpose and meaning requires me to be open to questions, mine and others and to delight in and accept the oft challenging answers. Daily I spend time in reflection, living in awe of life, holding my vision of the life I want to live now and in the future, holding gently the tension of uncertainty, the not yet knowing or understanding and accepting with gratitude what is. Recently I came across a quote that has become a helpful mantra and guide to me, especially on days where I struggle with what is.

“Hold the vision, Trust the process” – author unknown.

These words assist me to willingly be open to the now, no matter how difficult the process. I embrace this process with joy, holding on to the vision as I continue to ask ‘why’ and ‘how’ to better understand myself, what drives me, what doesn’t, to claim my beliefs, values, strengths and fears believing that who I am and all that I experience and learn is part of the journey of becoming more fully the person I am called to be.