Eight years ago — I remember sitting at my kitchen table with the sun streaming in through the window — the TV was on with President Obama’s Inauguration address. His speech contained the most inspired words I had ever heard from any politician, or any public figure for that matter.
I felt lifted up, suddenly filled with purpose and hope. This was a significant moment as it reaffirmed my wish to become a writer, to inspire people as much as I was inspired at that very moment. I jotted down a few lines. They turned into a poem that would stay with me from then on. Whenever I feel unprepared for this journey, whenever I feel lacking the very basic modules of inspiring others, I turn to the poem, knowing that it didn’t come from me but from something much bigger, something that connects all of us on a level we very rarely have access to. This place seems to be what we all aspire to reach, in whatever shape or form we do so. I strive, at times in vain, to get close to it. But sometimes, not often enough, I can hear the call with such clarity, it cannot be dismissed.
The Call to Greatness
The call to greatness, ever present
Lifts us up to higher ground
Calls us to our highest purpose
Freedom’s choice, no longer bound
*
We will meet it either trembling
Or with steady resting hand
For we cannot hide forever
From our destiny’s command
*
Our oath has not been broken
Our promise’s still our word
From afar, our truth has spoken
All through time has it been heard
*
Here I stand on ground made holy
By this ancient symphony
As I reach for my own glory
For my Father’s company
*
There, with cold and bloodless fingers
Darkened veil, and evil sense
Grips my throat, my heart and lingers
Fear, employed for my defense
*
Fear of death has lost its power
And its ever present threat
It is not the great deceiver
But my greatness that I dread
*
Should I dare to leave my smallness
And my littleness behind
Should I forfeit my own blindness
For a vision that is kind
*
And then one day, maybe not this day
And maybe not even tomorrow
But one day, I know it for sure, my friend
We will exchange joy for our sorrow
*
That day will come and it will be the day
When we take a deep breath
And we pick ourselves up
And we dust ourselves off
*
We touch the face of God.
Stories of Hope and Splendor 
Inspiring words, Stefan.
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I love the internet…
You always inspire me, Stefan. Sometimes, your ability to willingly, publicly express your raw emotions leaves me nearly speechless, for while I am of a nature to do similar things – you do it and I am inspired (in varied ways). I do it and sometimes I make people angry, or they look away for I may hit a nerve and they may choose to allow anger to take root instead of doing as I asked – to just look inside their own selves. Seldom do I hear from people, anymore, that I have ‘inspired’ them in some fashion.
Sometimes, when I read your expressions, I feel inspired by first feeling sad, sad that I have not learned how to express myself as well as you, or that I did – once – know and it has taken a nose-dive after neglecting daily usage, after spending time just trying to recover from a traumatic encounter several years past, and also spending time trying to heal from physical maladies that had taken a toil on my being free to self-express with clarity.
I even feel a slight twinge of guilt, to have neglected my natural abilities of self-expression, for I have always been outspoken, and learned to speak well. I feel that – even while knowing it is what it is because that is what was needed of me, during these past several years, in order to heal. I feel that because – when any of us is granted a natural ability it seems wasteful to neglect it. When any of us work towards an ability – it also seems neglectful to waste it. I suppose I feel as if I have wasted my time for around eight going on nine years, even knowing full well I had no choice but to take time to heal.
Still, you inspire me, because your expressions are healing expressions. You are not, or rarely are – radical as ‘most people’ would define the word. Instead, being in your presence is calming (which is somewhat radical in and of itself, for that is a rare quality in people of today’s world.) Expression of self can take many forms, and your self-expression is one that detonates a peaceful environment, both inside and within.
I love people, of all varieties, and feel I have been extremely privileged in my life, to have met a smorgasbord of varied peoples. It is people of your particular variety, however, the type who live a calming life, who radiate a calming presence, who touch me in ways I most appreciate when I reflect on ‘where do you want to be in a few years, where do you want your life to go?’ I wish to have a calming life, a calmer life, one where if strife occurs I am equipped to handle it without interrupting other areas of my life, without the need to neglect such things as self expression. Having received a traumatic brain injury around eight years ago played a huge part in that particular piece of my life, where I put a lid on a lot of my own self-expressions as I was extremely anger-filled for around two to three years following that incident and as such saw the need NOT to express that very openly (I didn’t want to infect people with negativity) but I might have chosen a shorter path to healing had I found you, or people like you sooner.
I am fortunate to know you now. I am glad to have met you and glad we are friends, even if it is ‘online’ where I ‘hear & see’ you.
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Thanks, Reba, for your kind words. I have been working very hard for a long time to get out of my own way and let inspiration get through. Doesn’t happen often enough still 🙂
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You’re further along than you imagine. ❤
PS: I have also been working very long and hard to do the same things… Nearly 30 years. 😉
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