A very special child was born

Naked Leader Week – 238 (Christmas 2007)

(Next NL Week Monday 7 January 2008)

 With my love and best wishes to you all, for a peaceful Christmas, a wonderful new year, and may 2008 be the best year of your life, so far…

 David x

 Legend has it that many years ago, a very special child was born, unique in natural strengths, personality and talent, who, at the very moment of birth, knew they were going to love this thing called life.

The young Child watched and took in the wonders of everything, and everyone, around them, and so became an Explorer, gaining a reputation for being fun, and so very happy. Soon the Explorer was told that discovery was not enough, and was sent off to school. Hungry for new knowledge, the Explorer became a Student, who gained a reputation for being very learned. However, some of the fun seemed to disappear, somewhere.

Next, the Student was advised that while information was important, it was nothing without real experience. And so the Student became a Practitioner, eager to work hard and grow in understanding, and gained a reputation for being worldly wise. However, some of the wonder seemed to fade away, somehow.

And after many years, the Child who had become an Explorer, who became a Student, and then a Practitioner, stopped one day, and noticed some things.

That the life they were now living was not so full of everyday joy, that the organisation in which they worked was not a happy place, and that the world in which they lived had so much worry, hardship and fear. Perhaps there was something about this thing called life that had not yet been fully understood.

So the Practitioner set out to understand, and thus became an Adventurer.

And as an Adventurer, they needed an adventure. To find one, they applied the formula for guaranteed success – know where you want to go, or who you want to be; know where you are now; know what you have to do to get to where you wan to go, or who you want to be; and do it.

The Adventurer was not sure where they wanted to go, or who they wanted to be; only that it had something to do with purpose, happiness and being at peace. They did know where they are right now, and also what they had to do to make their dream, uncertain as it was, move closer. They had to make things happen, rather than let things happen.

This was exciting. However, just as they were about to take their first action, they froze in fear, trapped by thoughts and imaginings. They wanted more freedom, but not at the expense of safety. They wanted something more, without losing what they currently have, and most fundamentally of all, they wanted to be their true self, yet also connect with others.

And so our Adventurer waited – for a trigger, a sign, for some kind of permission. And as they waited, a realisation dawned. What they once were, they still are. Once a Child, always a Child, deep inside. Once an Explorer, keen to explore again. Once a Student, still ready to learn, and once a Practitioner, still so, taking in life’s rich experiences.

And, from their very first breath, right up to this exact moment, the Adventurer was, still is, and always will be, you…