As a guitar player I have a definite soft spot for the acoustic singer/songwriter genre. One of my favorite artists is David Wilcox. He’s a fine musician and an amazing lyricist. I’m pretty sure I own every album he has ever recorded. His music is not compartmentalized. It’s not categorized. In a way – his music is like a beautiful blog – an outpouring of his thoughts and reflections set to some pretty impressive music.
At the moment Im on a plane (I know…big shock right?!) flying home from Australia and one of his songs is running through my head. “I was dead with deciding. Afraid to choose. I was mourning the loss of the choices I’d lose. But there’s no choice at all if I don’t make my move and trust that the timing is right. Yes – and hold it up to the light.” I love that picture and I love the notion of holding something up to the light for closer inspection. But it’s more than just a nice metaphor.
What does it mean to hold something up to the light in your decision-making? Without going too deep into the image (like Gerald Ford used to do if you’re old enough to remember some of his speeches) I think it’s important to realize that light comes in many different hues. Some light is blue, some is white, some is yellow. Some burns hot and still some is cool and mellow. And the light in which you choose to examine things has a profound impact on how you see them.
For me, the sources of light I choose include my wife, members of my family, a very select-few friends and a constant and literal asking of WWJD (what would Jesus do?) because I think he sets a great example. In fact, I’ve often thought that if there were no Christians around to set a less than stellar example (a group of which I am a card carrying member) everyone would be a follower of Jesus…but alas…I digress. What was I saying? Oh yeah – something about light and decisions.
Two weeks ago I was in the Dominican Republic watching the first graduating class of Seniors at the VisionTrust International school in Santo Domingo. I met some of these kids when they were in pre-K. Now they’re graduates and, in some small respect, decisions I held up to the light back in 1997 contributed to this moment. The school has been transformed from a corrugated tin shack to a 5-story anchor of the community. Along the way they even trusted me to lay some of the bricks that hold the place up (scary – I know.) That Caribbean event was immediately followed by a trip to Australia where I worked with clients. Also fulfilling, but in very different ways.
Anyway – as I soar above the clouds I’m looking forward to getting home. Back to some of those sources of light. Can’t wait to share some stories from my trip and to hold some of the new decisions I’m facing up to see how they look from outside my own perspective. Ultimately, I will (as the song says) have to “make my move and trust that the timing is right. Yes – and hold it up to the light.” What (who) are your sources of light?