How we look at life has tremendous importance concerning whether we fail in life or gain success in life. I want to challenge the reader’s “vision.” Is the imagery of your vision in correlation with reality?
Vision in Reality
How we see ourselves determine how we live. Have you ever seen a child watch a superhero cartoon, then they become obsessed with the cartoon? What happens when a child is not able to watch the cartoon? They reenact their favorite superhero. The child begins to build physical scenarios with their parent’s furniture and house appliances and act out what they “envision” through their vivid imagination. For example, when I was a child, I use to love “Conan the Barbarian,” I would use my mom’s curtain rod as my sword, and when I waved the curtain rod it whistled with a violent swoosh. My mother’s couches and dining room chairs was my enemy, until my oldest nephew was born. When Jordan turned three, I brought him up to have a similar imagination, and as a result we both possessed bruises from my mom’s curtain rods.
Furthermore, as adults we find ourselves in positions that we did not envision. Why? We lost the vision that motivates us. Like the child’s imagination, they seen themselves in a way that made them excited, and due to their admiration and excitement they reenacted what they believe themselves to be. This principle applies to the adult right now who has failed to live out how they envisioned their life to be. “I had children to early,” “I’m married,” “I’ve been to jail or prison,” “I’ve been to hurt.” These are realistic issues, but they are not setbacks, just “couches and chairs.” The child did not have the exact props to reenact their favorite show or character, they found realistic representations. What I’m trying to convey is, in our pursuit of being who we envision, we may not be able to be exactly what we envision, but no matter what baggage of responsibility we have we can be close to the person in our vision.
My mom wanted to be a professor and help people learn. That didn’t happen, but teaching did become a reality for her. Due to her health and her age, she couldn’t land a major adjunct gig. But she became a substitute teacher for Dallas Independent School District. She came home from work with so much joy. One, because she went back to college at forty as a single mother of three to be a better communicator and for the opportunity to teach, and as result she was privileged to substitute teach middle school and teach special needs High School students. The Bible reads, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so he is.” (Prov. 23:7) KJV. What a person envisions they think about. As limited and finite creatures, we do not get to envision the picture fully. Also, we can’t bypass the process we must endure before we get to the vision. If you see yourself as a successful businesswoman or man, but you have a family and bills to pay. You can always take business classes online at your own pace. You might have to replace your old hobbies with your pursuit to become who you envision. If you like watching sports and movies, you’ll have to replace that time to study or watch class. Make realistic alterations to your schedule and allow the pressure of the grind to mold and build you.
The reason I was obsessed with heroes growing up is because they always help people. Helping people has been a positive motivation for me. I’m not a hero of any kind, but now I am a shadow of what I envisioned as a child — I help people. I’m privileged to teach seven Individual Treatment Program classes (helps Texas inmates make parole) a week. I’m used by the prison administration to help with conflict resolution when my peers need guidance. The most satisfying privilege is being available to listen to my peers. Being able to do these things as a Texas Department of Criminal Justice Field Minister is a vision that led to success for me. Maybe I am a hero!?
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