Gratitude from the past .....
GRATITUDE FROM THE PAST
(a Messenger text received this week)
I was the National Trainer, Coach and Fundraiser for World Youth International for almost twenty years until I resigned in December 2009. My role was voluntary, and I consider myself lucky to have discovered something at a young age which was a complete self expression for me - and always, always a joy. I know I came to the world “To Serve” and those two decades helped shape my life. I also know I helped to shape the lives of others. I got out of bed every day filled with excitement, a limitless energy and a burning passion. It was a place where I knew I was making a difference and was contributing globally, and I was clear that this was a blessing and a privilege.
I began volunteering with World Youth at forty years old, and I had the privilege of meeting and training hundreds of extraordinary young people, from teenagers to people around my own age. They blew me away. They were committed to making a difference to how our world turns out, they left me speechless with their wisdom, their courage and their bold stand for the underprivileged in our world.
One of my roles was to train our participants in Leadership, in a programme called the Leadership Development Programme, ‘LDP’ for short.
After this training, several were selected to travel to Nepal, Kenya and Peru, as the Group Leader for groups who elected to spend up to six months in those countries as volunteers. They too, participated in the training, as preparation for their voluntary roles in the World Youth International School and Orphanage we built in Gorkarna, (not far from Kathmandu), and our Orphanage and Medical Clinic in Kenya - and in several other life altering projects, including Marathon Bike Rides in Australia.
I am fortunate to still be connected to many of those participants, something which still touches me deeply, and I am privileged to follow their lives which continue to inspire and astonish me with their outstanding accomplishments around the world.
The following text, however, came from a participant, Lucy Wallace, completely ‘out of the blue’ last week. I haven’t seen or heard anything about fourteen years! I remember her bright eyes and her passion for making the world a ‘better place’. The authenticity of her message touched me deeply, and I was deeply moved by her acknowledgement. Infinite love and gratitude, dear Lucy!
I have Lucy’s permission to share this with you.
Dear Sandra,
I just wanted to reach out. I’m going through a rather intense "growth" period of my life at the moment. You know those times where everything in your life feels like it's burning to ash and falling apart so you're forced to completely detach and make some survival plans to get through and hopefully flourish on the other side of it all. Haha!
And, I felt it was important to let you know that even though the Leadership Development Programme where I met you - was so many years ago (I was nineteen so I’m thinking around thirteen or fourteen years ago) it was possibly one of the most life changing weekends of my life - because of your words of wisdom.
I still remember very clearly a number of the points you visited in your sessions (which considering how bad my memory is, says a lot!), and I use them as foundation when I’m going through times like I am now.
I remember an analogy in particular about "sweeping things under the rug" when it comes to things like failing to follow through on plans or letting people down. And how the more you do things like that and avoid dealing with those guilty emotions – you will land up with a massive lump in the carpet, which you can't help but trip over, as it gets bigger and bigger through the years.
I know it wasn't exactly that, but I’ve used this analogy my whole life since - when I’ve had the clarity to do so. And I always think to myself "OK, we've tripped over this lump in the rug often enough. It’s time to lift it up. And if the time has passed for me to follow through with whatever it was, I can at least have an honest conversation with the person involved to get back on track and explain.”
Having recently found out as an adult that I have ADHD, I’ve had a very lumpy "rug" for my whole life, but you're always there in the background still guiding me!
Thank you also, for teaching me the word ‘succinct’, even though I’ll never be quite good at that! Ha ha ha ha! (Another ADHD challenge I’m afraid.)
Lucy Wallace
January 2022
Dear Lucy,
You sound like you’re in a rough space dear one. ❤️ Thank you for sharing yourself so beautifully with me, for your trust, for your authenticity, generosity and acknowledgement. You reminded me of who I am and the difference I have made, which is a blessing.
The world is a challenging place for so many of us right now - especially for an empath like you. And I too, have had a tough two years. ❤️
Your diagnosis must be a blessing to discover. We have a friend who discovered this recently aged 54 and suddenly all the pieces fell into place for him and his wife. They appeared on the tv programme ‘Insight’ not long ago.
You’ve been beautifully succinct in this email! In fact, the entire saying was ‘succinct, specific and generous’ - you’ve excelled in all three!
You express yourself with great clarity and I’m touched that I was able to contribute to your life in such a profound way. You use the resources I taught you, that is a wonderful gift to know.
I hold you in my heart and if you want someone to hold your hand, to help you cry, or listen with their heart, I am here.
Blessings on your Beautiful heart ❤️🙏🌈
Love and hugs
Sandra x
PS Lucy and I have been texting each other since then and ‘catching up’ on our lives.