Thursday, August 9, 2007 at 1:01am
Ask and you shall receive
Column: Unclutter Your Life
"He who asks questions cannot avoid the answers." — Cameroon proverb
My friend and I talked about what's next for him. His story is, indeed, part of history. Years ago, he easily earned a million a year in the entertainment industry. Then his head and heart alignment about his work went out of alignment, and he walked away with no regrets. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, he'd just crossed from Manhattan into Brooklyn, unaware of what was happening at the site of the Twin Towers, until his car was engulfed in smoke and dust as he exited the tunnel. He turned his car around and spent the next two weeks at the site, helping in any way he could. This included being there when part of a structure collapsed onto firefighters. He helped move debris and dragged a couple of them to safety. He was still coping a few months later with his experiences of that time, when his mother, to whom he was very close, died. His father had passed on previously.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and health issues took hold, and the next several years involved treatment and recovery while he attempted to maintain a job and relationships. We lost touch for a while, and I contacted everyone we knew in common to find out how and where he was. He eventually reappeared.
As we spoke recently, I once again could hear the strong, creative, caring person I know him to be. But it's been a rugged road he's traveled, and he's at a crossroads. Our discussion covered the importance of being discerning about the stories we tell ourselves, comments and judgments we make without attention to how they may impact what we attract into our lives. We also spoke of how we become like the people with whom we associate and how to arrive at What's Next. I reminded him that the step we have to focus on is the next one, then the next, until we get where we're going. An unfortunate effect of the "system's" assistance to him was that his return to his current job was delayed and the domino effect of running out of money is playing out in his life. I shared with him my three-day question/answer tool that I've used for years.
When I feel unsure about what's next, I tell the larger consciousness of which I'm an expression that I need to Know, that I expect an answer within three days. Inevitably, within that three-day period I get my answer. However, a key part of this is to let the question go and trust (know) the answer is on its way to me because I'm open to receive. The parallel is that a closed hand (or mind) cannot hold water. As simplistic as this may sound, in light of what he's going through, he emailed me the next day to say potential, temporary solutions were coming to him and he was taking action.
As I said, this time has been a challenge for him unlike what most of us ever have to deal with. He said it's brought him to a point where he's ready to reclaim his personal power and re-create his life as he intends. It's a rebirth for him, a phoenix rising from the ashes. I, for one, am most eager to see where he goes from here.
— — —
Joyce Shafer is a life empowerment coach and author of "I Don't Want to be Your Guru, but I Have Something to Say", as well as "How to Have What You Really Want", and contributor of articles to various publications. She has an eclectic background and focuses on learning, growing, and sharing information at every opportunity. She can be emailed at {email jls1422@yahoo.com}jls1422@yahoo.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Joyce Shafer.
My friend and I talked about what's next for him. His story is, indeed, part of history. Years ago, he easily earned a million a year in the entertainment industry. Then his head and heart alignment about his work went out of alignment, and he walked away with no regrets. On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, he'd just crossed from Manhattan into Brooklyn, unaware of what was happening at the site of the Twin Towers, until his car was engulfed in smoke and dust as he exited the tunnel. He turned his car around and spent the next two weeks at the site, helping in any way he could. This included being there when part of a structure collapsed onto firefighters. He helped move debris and dragged a couple of them to safety. He was still coping a few months later with his experiences of that time, when his mother, to whom he was very close, died. His father had passed on previously.
Post-traumatic stress disorder and health issues took hold, and the next several years involved treatment and recovery while he attempted to maintain a job and relationships. We lost touch for a while, and I contacted everyone we knew in common to find out how and where he was. He eventually reappeared.
As we spoke recently, I once again could hear the strong, creative, caring person I know him to be. But it's been a rugged road he's traveled, and he's at a crossroads. Our discussion covered the importance of being discerning about the stories we tell ourselves, comments and judgments we make without attention to how they may impact what we attract into our lives. We also spoke of how we become like the people with whom we associate and how to arrive at What's Next. I reminded him that the step we have to focus on is the next one, then the next, until we get where we're going. An unfortunate effect of the "system's" assistance to him was that his return to his current job was delayed and the domino effect of running out of money is playing out in his life. I shared with him my three-day question/answer tool that I've used for years.
When I feel unsure about what's next, I tell the larger consciousness of which I'm an expression that I need to Know, that I expect an answer within three days. Inevitably, within that three-day period I get my answer. However, a key part of this is to let the question go and trust (know) the answer is on its way to me because I'm open to receive. The parallel is that a closed hand (or mind) cannot hold water. As simplistic as this may sound, in light of what he's going through, he emailed me the next day to say potential, temporary solutions were coming to him and he was taking action.
As I said, this time has been a challenge for him unlike what most of us ever have to deal with. He said it's brought him to a point where he's ready to reclaim his personal power and re-create his life as he intends. It's a rebirth for him, a phoenix rising from the ashes. I, for one, am most eager to see where he goes from here.
— — —
Joyce Shafer is a life empowerment coach and author of "I Don't Want to be Your Guru, but I Have Something to Say", as well as "How to Have What You Really Want", and contributor of articles to various publications. She has an eclectic background and focuses on learning, growing, and sharing information at every opportunity. She can be emailed at {email jls1422@yahoo.com}jls1422@yahoo.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Joyce Shafer.