Unusually, I’ve been to three different churches this past week, for three separate ceremonies.
- A funeral of a friend’s mum, may she RIP,
- Edie’s confirmation.
- A 75 year anniversary celebration mass in my old school.
There was a common thread at each celebration – LOVE. And possibly because of this, I saw it show up elsewhere too. What a pleasure!
Don’t worry, this is not a religious broadcast – not my style.
My friend’s mum lived a very full, generous and loving life. She showed up with love for her family and community in all that she did. She gave a lot more than she took in life. That’s some legacy to leave behind.
Edie asked Ciara’s great friend Claire to be her sponsor. In Edie’s ‘Confirmation Scrapbook’ she noted her reasons. “I choose Claire because she treats me
like her daughter so I want to give back and take her name so she will always be there even when I can’t see her”.
The Bishop at the confirmation spoke about how the girls can show up with love for themselves and each other in a very well-considered message that touched on social media. As many of them received phones for the first time, I thought it was a relevant message to share.
Another Bishop (The Titular Archbishop of Illicii, Apostolic Nuncio to Ireland, if you don’t mind!) at the 75th Year Anniversary mass spoke about the love we can all bring to the world today, in contrast to the backdrop of divisive and isolating rhetoric we see, hear and feel around us. He also delivered the message with some humour, some wit and some self-deprecation which allowed the message to land more effectively.
Late last week I finished up a coaching package with an individual leader. He concluded that his happiness and his performance have huge correlation.
- When he’s living from a place of fear, he’s a victim to life and his workload. He’s protective and controlling.
- When he’s living from a place of LOVE, he’s the creator of his life and he sees his work challenge becomes an opportunity.
This week, I coached a wonderfully compassionate leader around her values. She’s in a position of great influence in business. Amidst many political players, egos and fear-based thinkers, she stands out to be true to herself. She shows up with LOVE, and it works wonders.
As I type this, Ciara has just returned from a morning run and is talking to the kids.
“What a lovely run! I loved the sun over the water, I loved the fresh air, I loved the bright morning. I feel so lucky to live where we live”. Someone’s feeling the LOVE!
Finally, my Godson is in 4th year. I met him yesterday in the same school that I attended with his Dad. We were up to all sorts when we were in 4th year. I remember my thinking, my worries, my hopes and my frame of reference at his age. Vividly.
As we move through life, we realise how short it is.
Each moment in each day of our lives at home, in work, with friends, with ourselves is an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to be present. If we’re present with ourselves and with others, then we can choose how we show up – from a place of fear, or a place of LOVE. We’re not reactive. We’re not political. We’re real.
I’m not saying this in a preachy way. I can give you loads of examples of how I showed up with fear this past week. I’d say Ciara could give you a few more!
Maybe you and I can both put the LOVE filter in our lenses today, and see where that takes us first.
Maybe that’s our Coming of Age, each and every day. It’s to go back to the basics instead of tangling with the complexities.