The Journey by Mary Oliver

This poem has been inspiring to me for many years.  I have had several "one day when I finally knew what I had to do:, which lead to a journey in which I didn't know the end when I began.  Step by step, I figured it out as I lived my truth.  It takes an incredible unfolding of resolve and strength, that sometimes surprises me because I didn't realize I even had it.  I am also surprised at the reactions of others in response to living one's truth.  I have never had regret when I respond to the call and allow myself to move forward in my journey.

One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice--

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!" 

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voices behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do--

determined to save

the only life you could save.

Authenticity and Mother Theresa

           Henry David Thoreau said "we are constantly invited to be who we are".  That's an interesting thing to think about.  It certainly brings up the question "who am I and where is that invitation"?  I think, however, Thoreau was absolutely right.  The invitation comes every day, multiple times every day. And the answer to who we are is revealed in our response each time the invitation comes.  When we can let go of what other people think, our fears & insecurities, our should haves and regrets, our need to be perfect or at least to look that way, and own our own story, we gain access to our authenticity. We are able to act in accordance with the best version of ourselves. 

            Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day.  It’s about the choice to show up and be real.  The choice to be honest.  The choice to let our true selves be seen.  I was reading Seth Godin's blog talking about authenticity the other day.  I really liked his thoughts on authenticity.  He said "authenticity, for me, is doing what you promise, not "being who you are".  That's because being is too amorphous and we are notoriously bad at judging that. Doing, on the other hand, is an act that can be seen by all.  Mother Theresa was filled with self-doubt.  But she was an authentic saint, because she always acted like one. You could spend your time wondering if what you say you are is really you. Or you could just act like that all the time.  That's good enough and it saves you the angst!"