My Epiphany Experience

When I suddenly notice what has forever been before me like a towering monument of truth, I am having an Epiphany. I am happy to announce, I Am Free! I am free of compulsion to model my life after my former vision of Success. How did this happen?

I have been guilty of borrowing someone else’s playbook to fulfill my dreams, hence obstructing my own vision. A series of recent, unrelated distressing events led to my epiphany experience. My day-to-day took on some burdensome alterations and my time was eaten up by these intrusions. I went for weeks without “normal life”. I was not aware that these circumstances removed me from my misplaced ambitions and that my values were evolving—until the circumstances ended. Now I see how God truly does work all things for my good, (I am a Christian and that is a paraphrased excerpt from my favorite Bible verse, Romans 8:28), even things that for the present, seem to be ruining plans and taking me off the rails.

Lessons Learned:

·         First, do not borrow other people’s playbooks no matter how much I admire them, how successful they are or how convenient it is.

·         Query my plans, hopes dreams. Am I trying to please someone, impress, make myself more of something, make myself into something? Is my self esteem involved? There are plenty of other questions to prayerfully consider.

·         Know that even prayer doesn’t always prevent a detour on the way to the answer.  In my case I think the answer to the prayer was the detour. It reminds me of a lesson from a childhood favorite. In the film, The Wizard of Oz, Glenda the Good Witch of the North allowed Dorothy to travel to Oz to use the power she already had in the ruby slippers. Glenda knew that the treacherous detour allowed Dorothy to realize there is no place like home. Detours can yield a lot of priceless learning.

·         Do not do something just because I can.

·         Take cues from those closest and most supportive.

·         When a light-up-the-sky moment occurs, take note. A light-up-the-sky moment is one that causes a brightening in emotions, a lightening of the load, inspiration and joy. Drop what I am doing and take note immediately. Follow and track like I am on a Treasure Hunt.