The Genie and the Fashion Police
In my mind, I can see the scene so clearly, it is as if it was unfolding in front of me…
The poor, abandoned boy meets the Genie that he thinks will give him everything he could possibly dream of: fame, fortune, the ability to wow the one he loves. As the Genie is attempting to convince the boy of his true abilities, in a moment of inspiration, he says, “It’s really like unbelievable cosmic power” (cue Genie growing to an exponential size of himself, and then shrinking back into the bottle he came out of) “In an itty-bitty living space!” Whenever I think of the potential of my life and the lives of every single person I meet, I often review this little cartoon segment in my head. This is what we are each capable of.
I am not talking about some magical or mythical moment where we take on extra-terrestrial powers; I am talking about choosing to live large when your world is small. Choosing to be more than is expected, choosing to do more than would have been sufficient, and choosing to love always-even when it seems outrageous and uncalled for.
What would my life look like if instead of choosing to prove myself, I chose to serve others? What would I look like if instead of needing to feel justified, I felt satisfied. What would I look like if instead of needing a title, I realized that what I really need is to be fulfilled with who I am and what I am doing.
We are that Genie, minus the bad pants (who, by the way, should be reported to the Fashion Police! Someone needs to tell that dude that a big belly and a vest with no tee is a definite fashion violation on so many levels!). We are each a powerhouse of amazing potential, even if it may not look like much right now. The only thing that stops us is us. What a crazy thought: I limit myself in so many ways, and the only way to unlock that potential is living a life that loves and inspires others to that same place.
I have been back in the schools this week with one of our road teams, and we are in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Today, as I watched my team members as they went through their day and reached out to about 1200 high school students, I was thinking about the Genie’s words and remembering that there is no kindness that is insignificant, there is no word of life and hope that is insignificant, and there is definitely no dream that is insignificant. As we wrapped up the last of the cables and were about to walk out the door, a girl from the school stopped me and said, “Thanks for coming to my school today. We normally only have people come here and tell us what not to do, and tell us what we do wrong, but you came and told us that we are valuable. You have given us something to aspire to.”
So now, a few hours later, I sit here at this laptop and realize that I can honestly say that I believe that every day is a gift, and every moment I choose to love, I choose to live out how significant and powerful my life really can be. Love is what gives us wings to believe in ourselves, and today, I got the chance to give that gift to someone else…and it felt great!