At the beginning of 2013, I was drowning in the emotional tsunami of economic loss. I was a victim to the housing crisis. From the wealth of a full-time financially sustaining consulting career, to the poverty of a part-time, barely above minimum wage, temp staffer assignment, I was mentally and financially imploding.
 |
| picture credits to YourEventToGo |
In humored retrospect, I have learned that desperation is not a plausible enticement for soliciting public funding. More interestingly I learned, that my intuitive instincts for survival and independence are formidable and unshakable.
I learned that generosity is a virtue that cannot be extorted. Many individuals and family members extended their kindness in gestures of both monetary and charitable gifts. Through genuine acts of kindness, I received welcome donations with earnest and humble gratitude.
But I also realized, my professionally photographed glam shot picture for my GoFundMe appeal was an ideological contradiction. Lol!.. If I were in a state of poverty, why did my posing picture seem to look so rich? I was my own funding saboteur. HaHaHa!
In the months of my 2013 seasons of question and introspection, I exercised my mental muscles in the fields of social media. In Blogger, I wrote about my bliss, my agony, my intrigue and my curiosity. As of December, my 33 blogs have garnered over 6800 views. Through writing, I have stretched my public outreach and have opened windows of promising opportunities.
In Yahoo Contributor Networks, several of my article submissions have been published. I am tweaking and streamlining the authority, authenticity, and tone of my writer's voice. OMG! I Am 60 Years, Well Almost, was my first published Yahoo article. My enthusiasm is noted in the opening paragraph with these words:
When life throws you a lemon, you got to add some sugar and make it lemonade. Looking at the coming of age, as an adventure. Humor in life is healthy. Be thankful for the opportunities. Often they come disguised as disappointments.In the adventure of social media, there are numerous platforms to navigate. In the Google domain, I have expanded my circles of engagement. I have reached an allocated 5000 count to my circles and now there are new niche inroads to map out. There is creative stimulus for artistic demonstration in the Youtube landscape. In addition to the written scripts, my stories also include picture presentations displayed in photography and video productions.
The event of my class Reunion in Trinidad and Tobago in October 2013, was both real and cosmic. The months leading to the reunion date were filled with expectation and anticipation. In spite of every wall of denial, impossibility, financial detour, and emotional roadblock, I became the accidental tourist.
With a gift from my son, the bounty of the kindness of family, and the generosity of lifetime friends, I experienced abundance during my holiday visit. In social media, I celebrated moments in pictures and videos. My field of exploration in video app development technology widened and blossomed.
A most celebrated moment of the Reunion was a tribute to our teacher Jovita Lee. The privilege of being in this moment is shared in this blog So How Do You Thank Someone who has taken You from Crayons to Perfume. The revelry and joy of being with classmates after 41 years are shared in this Youtube video 60s are the new 40s.
Disappointments and trials have been exhaustive, but!.. another year begins every year on December 31.
In commemoration and tribute to Nelson Mandela and to his life contribution, I have themed the following message of victories won.
One gains success by conviction, not by trial.
These words in the last refrain of the poem Invictus, champion resilience:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul
(This is a Poem 'Invictus' (Unconquered,Undefeated) by William Henley. Great South African Leader Nelson Mandela(Madiba) was inspired by the poem, and had it written on a scrap of paperon his prison cell while he was incarcerated for 27 years on Robben Island )These words ignite my resolve to remain steadfast in conviction and to be inspired in optimism.
As I captain my approach to new territories of consciousness in the coming years, I will continue to practice optimism rather than defeat.
My task is not to design new resolutions for the coming years. I can look over the past year and find hidden treasures of discovery, new accomplishments, recognition by acknowledgments, and fulfillment in worthy achievements.
I can now prospect my capabilities and competencies on the merits of my work, my experience and my talents. My video blog is the latest career tool that I will use to promote and enlist the consideration of prospective employers.
In a recent post to social media, I stated without reservation, that my practice of social engagement is not about me. I have been nourished, nurtured, schooled, and charmed by the many people including family, friends, loved ones, and circles of associates, whose lives and stories continue to impact and impress me.
There are many other people whose life situations have made them soldier on against greater odds than my circumstantial occurrences. I am empowered because of all who have shared their stories and have demonstrated success despite personal setbacks.
The journey of quest and challenge is our universal common road map. Victories Won, Defeats Surrendered, but Resilience Triumphs and Optimism Prevails are my signature guidelines for yesterday, today, and with each new year.
Achieving Abundance is my ultimate goal of self-expression and expectation. To this end, my optimism prevails.
In all of this, I am eternally grateful.
No comments:
Post a Comment