knowing that exceeds rationale and explanation. In our relentless search for
presence of form itself. Why do we seek to make things where there is nothing
rather than to allow things to unfold and then to become aware of what they are
without making them into something they are not meant to be? Why do seek to
Adopting the heart and mind of child, excited daily in the newness of life
unfolding, in awe over its splendor without expecting it to be anything more than
again.” That child lives within each of us, repressed often by expectations,
demands, wants, and strife – universal blessing blockers. “What woe has fallen
over my Candyland Kingdom?” asks the Princess. “Yes” comes the reply, “your
favorite pet the Gumdrop Dragon has been stolen from his cage in the
courtyard!” exclaims the Prince. The cage in the courtyard represents our heart
(and everyone has one). The Gumdrop Dragon are the hopes and dreams of the
child that lives within each of us; robbed of our dreams by expectations and
notions, we live sultry lives forsaking our dreams, pushing hopes to the back
burner, accepting a life mediocrity because of fear. The fear is that when we
reach the courtyard (our heart), we will find it’s too late to reclaim our latent
desires and thus we lose all our final hope – the child within us dies. In fear, we
stagnate and settle, we never reach our potentials, and we never invite the
and connectedness we feel in the decision. We become the decision when our
mission creates the vision and our vision creates purpose which blossoms into
meaning that gives our feet direction. As we focus, the plan unfolds and our
cautiously at first as we feel the raw energy of the fear itself. We move within the
fear and find that befriending it gives us courage. Inquisitive we move closer and
we smile, “ah, this is what it’s like to be young again!” “Yes!” the fear cries back.
We learn to trust the edge and to gain a foothold in the unknown. We must be
willing to forsake all that is known in the hopes of finding something better
exceptions. We move within the dance of life and become one with our fears.
heart.
personal values that define how we want to behave toward each other, how we
show our customers and suppliers that we value them, and how we value the
are to become. They reflect that we are integrated within a system, that we
serve a greater purpose with unyielding truth and childlike faith. As individuals
within a system define their values, they develop a connectedness with others
within the system, and the organizational values become apparent and
we are.
From our value perspectives, we precision mission and purpose. Why are
these values important to us, to our suppliers, to our customers, to each other,
statements helps individuals within a system connect to each other, to know each
organizational mission and purpose that reflects what is important and why it is
Strategy. These self-evident truths are broadly defined approaches that create
focus and group synergies that energize the mission and drive the vision. Goals
and actions flow from these strategies, empowering individuals and teams within
unleashed and safe without being caged. The system is liberated and no longer
fears the edge (change) but rather embraces it as opportunity with a new found
wonder, childlike, not afraid to admit that it does not know – but extending an
invitation to learn.
grows and yearns in the growing pains, helping each other through the
experience. Through the exploration of the boundaries and the sharing of the
possibilities, wonder and excitement. Involvement evolves and grows and the
process comes full circle only to move into a higher and more rewarding
causing resistance. Victory is sweeter when burdens are turned into blessings
births natural support groups within systems and from these groups, individuals
seek and share perceptions in anticipation of finding new meanings, greater
truths, and revelation. Freedom knows the birthing pains from which we learn
what we are made of, what we can do, who we are, and through which we gain
identity by constantly redefining our self-evident truths (the heart of our own
motivations). We applaud the system – we have arrived and the cycle begins
anew. The Gumdrop Dragon thanks you – he knows rest and peace. He is
home.