elegant aspirations

I once knew a very elderly lady named Dorothy who lived in a nursing home. She had been confined to a wheelchair for many years but was adept at maneuvering herself around the building. A great favorite with the staff and other residents, she would spend her days joyfully bestowing blessings on people and singing for them. A particularly favorite song was “Have I told you lately (that I love you)?” The day she died, the nurse supervisor was particularly bereft and, with tears welling in her eyes, asked me, “Who is going to bless us now?”

To many, Dorothy seemed to have minimal resources, totally dependent on others, with little more than Medicaid coverage keeping a roof over her head. In truth, her resources were limitless, as her days filled with sharing joy, love, and gratitude created an aura of abundance that transcended the limits of her circumstances. 

As previously mentioned in my article, “Be Resourceful – Work with What You Have” *, humans are endlessly resourceful. But when assessing our resources, we often limit ourselves to the material things—money, property, belongings, and so on —that we are fortunate enough to have or we would like to have - all of which require constant maintenance, replenishment, and are finite. But there are many other types of resources at our fingertips that we often overlook or don’t even realize are available to all of us, no matter our circumstances.

In today’s atmosphere of chaos and insecurity, now is the perfect time to take an empowering self-inventory. Start by making a list of the resources you do have that you may have taken for granted, as the way things are, and haven’t even considered before. Along with your material blessings, this could include your relationships, belief system, attitude to life, skills, experiences, and your precious time.

Firstly, assess your relationships, both personal and professional. Suppose they provide you with mutual support, collaboration, cooperation, opportunity, identity, and belonging. In that case, they are vital assets providing a solid foundation for well-being and a sense of security. Trust, goodwill, credibility, and reputation are priceless assets you have painstakingly collected over time that cannot be purchased. So valuable are they that, once lost, they are extremely hard to replace, if not impossible.

Secondly, consider your belief system and your attitude to life. Having a sense of purpose is a powerful resource that provides you with the courage and resilience to accept, adapt, and bounce back from adversity, challenges, and even seemingly catastrophic events. As is, being mindful of life’s simple pleasures and expressing gratitude for what you do have, no matter how modest.

Never forget that above all, you are your greatest resource. Creativity, communication, ingenuity, and the courage to imagine possibilities, and the fortitude to try are hallmarks of the human condition. When you work with what you have to help others by sharing time, energy, knowledge, skills, and experience, you become a priceless resource. This fosters community and fulfillment, empowering everyone.

There is so much abundance available to us through sharing and the joy that comes with giving.

When you share, it’s not just about giving something away. In truth, it releases you from the anxiety of worrying about what you don’t have and replaces it with the joyful awareness of what you have to offer, which is very empowering. 

So don’t ever take yourself as a powerful resource for granted. Just like you maintain your home, car, or other material possessions, be sure to invest in yourself—care for your health, expand your knowledge, broaden your horizons, and be curious about the world and the lives of others. By investing in yourself and sharing your special gifts and blessings, you invest in a better world for all of us.

Remember, all outstanding achievements are born from collaboration, not isolation. We’re all connected, and everything meaningful that’s been or will be accomplished is due to people sharing their resources and working together, and never because they go it alone. You are part of this interconnected web of achievements, and your contributions matter.