In 2009 , my husband, Brian and I had the privilege of traveling to visit our eldest daughter who lived and worked in the Middle East. As we were making our travel plans we asked her to take us someplace that would help us understand the passion she had for her work over there. She chose to take us to Lebanon. I remember as we landed in Beirut, seeing all the security measures in place including soldiers with machine guns. This was merely three short years after their beloved President had been assassinated in downtown Beirut. Buildings were covered with bullet holes and rooftops were surrounded by razor wire. Strange to say, I did not feel safe or secure. A sense of security comes from more than outer applications, it also comes from what my head and heart chose to believe.
My husband had a career as a locksmith and although his specialty was security, he used to say that locks were only for the honest. What we chose to put our trust in, for keeping us safe, whether it be locks and keys, fences, or surveillance cameras, these can only give us as much peace as our hearts and minds chose to believe. Did I say that already? Hmm perhaps because this is a challenge for most of us.
Thoughtfully consider what you have chosen to create security for you in whatever roles of life you have responsibilities in and particularly in your leadership role. Ponder what you have learned about security as we have faced a world wide pandemic, where we have had no control and very little knowledge of what we have been dealing with. Which securities have allowed you to sleep at night? How can you continue to trust in them and build on them or where might you need to make a shift?
" The pearls weren't really white, they were a warm oyster beige, with little knots in between so if they broke, you only lost one. I wished my life could be like that, knotted up so that even if something broke, the whole thing wouldn't come apart."
Janet Fitch, White Oleander