Touched by an Angel

Quote of the day: “We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.” —Fredrick Koeing

I had a moment the other day when I was waiting backstage in full “African dance” costume that I recognized and appreciated out-loud to my fellow dancer what I do have. In that moment, I was earning a living from dance, which equates to earning a living from my spirit. In that moment, I was living the dream. In that moment, work was life and life was work. Everything balanced out. There was no separation.

That moment isn’t reliving itself the same way today or even tomorrow, but it was real then and the present-moment awareness of it proves to offer great strength as it still lingers today.

In February’s intention of the month, Deepak speaks to allowing the thoughts and feelings of that oh-so-better future to inspire our actions in the present moment. I love in life when we have those moments where it feels as if the future and present collide as one. It’s kind of trippy.

Today I had another “let-me-introduce-who-I-am-and-how-I-can-be-of-service” meeting with a woman in a different department within the university. This is the second of the two I had scheduled. This time I walked away feeling totally and completely inspired. Not that I didn’t feel inspired at my first meeting. They just felt very different and I felt very different going into both meetings.

The location of today’s meeting was in a recently rehabilitated warehouse in downtown Syracuse. Outside her office was a huge, window-filled conference/meeting area furnished with sleek, urban-style furniture and large, colorful posterboards on easels that displayed the various community initiatives the department was engaged in. Bright oranges, greens and yellows painted the room. It was exuberant.

When I walked into her office with red-and-orange-striped carpeting, I knew I had found a “home,” if only for a moment. Her downtown view of Syracuse awakened every cell of my body. I was invigorated.

Similar to what happened in my first meeting, once I began to explain who I was and why I wanted to meet with her, she made a number of suggestions about people I should contact. As one should do in a meeting like this, I wrote them all down very quickly. But what was so cool about this meeting was she really “saw” me. Without expressing to her some of my more private long-term dreams, she spoke directly to one of them by telling me that I should teach.

As excited as I was by her recommendation, I quickly made it clear to her how I don’t have my master’s degree (at the very least) and how I would love to do that once I did get the degree. (P.S. – On my bucket list is to teach at the college level). Much to my surprise, she scoffed at the idea of me needing to have a master’s to be an adjunct teacher. She then proceeded to tell me where I needed to teach, who I needed to talk to and how I should approach my conversation with that person. She even began to brainstorm about what I should teach and why. I absolutely loved every minute of her profiling me. She was right on target and it was exactly what I needed.

I couldn’t believe it—someone who works in a high-level position within the university validated my real-life experience and passions as worthy of teaching. Now, who knows what the actual requirements will be for me to be an adjunct teacher once I meet with who she suggested, but in this moment, I don’t care. I am just so inspired by her pushing me, telling me to dream big only after speaking with me for a few moments.

I entered the meeting by greeting her with a handshake and exited it by giving her a hug. She will forever go down in this yearly tale as one of the people who changed my tide…shifted my course…and brought me closer to who I’ve always dreamed to be. She’s become a difference maker to me on this journey, throughout this experiment, in this very moment.

Thank you, MH, for changing my life.