Honorable Perspective

True honor, like love, is a choice of perspective.  You can say all of the right words in front of someone and then completely negate that same person behind their back and still have shown ‘fruits of honor’ without ever having presented any genuineness to that person at all.  But when our focus and intent is to highlight and appreciate someone for the belief that we have for their life, true honor and all of its fruits are naturally displayed.  It is the most selfless act we can engage ourselves in, because honor places other’s agendas, dreams, ideals and words as higher than our own and seeks to give of oneself to see the fruition of another’s dreams.  It is an utter submission. 

Common images that come to mind for honor may be acknowledgements and highlights from a stage, but it begins long before any such public accolades are considered.  Honor is simply believing in someone, whether they currently see themselves worthwhile or not.  It is looking past the personas, walls and hurts that so many eyes have stumbled over and realizing the immeasurable potential that that person carries, and then treating them as such. 

It does not take anyone special to read off life accomplishments from a person that has fulfilled their dreams, but true humility and selflessness is displayed when you believe in someone long before the world sees any reason to give them the time of day.  But when you highlight the goodness within someone, I inspire you to watch as everything about that person matures, is cultivated and eventually blossoms.  They live out their full potential because you saw and believed in it, even before they did.     

Take on every day with an appreciation for the lives that surround you.  Smile, laugh, and listen just to listen.  Show that you believe in someone; you will be surprised by how strongly honor will repay itself to those that are willing to give it. 

            

The Day To Day

Photo by: Jessi Van Dyke after delivering beds
to a poor family in the city of Cristo Rey

Blogging for Beautiful Feet has been a joyous learning experience in both creativity and responsibility.  Traveling with a laptop through third world conditions, finding time to blog without being too antisocial with our contacts, and sorting through countless inspiring stories and thoughts to highlight the ones that best connect to my readers, are only a few examples of the jobs I have had the honor of growing in.  But perhaps the responsibility that has matured me the greatest is the essential task of staying committed.  Some of the most common advice that I have received for writing over the years is also that which would seem the most obvious: “If you want to be a good writer, then write, and write a lot!” But just because advice appears obvious, does not mean it is simple to follow.   

Writing, like any other form of art, cannot be significantly matured and mastered by waiting for moments of inspiration to get you going.  I would compare it to driving a manual car or a motorcycle: anyone can drive when the vehicle is in high gear; it is getting started that stalls you out.  Dedication is deciding to continuously turn the key, no matter how many stalls and stutters it may bring. Updating a blog every other day (more or less) has turned my writing into an obligation, and I could not be more grateful, because efficiency is often a byproduct of routine.  Inspiring others to go after their dreams is one of my greatest passions and desires, but if we choose to only live by the ongoing words and actions of inspiring people and do not begin to make personal forward movement, practice and growth towards our own desires, we make people out to be no more than crutches and fall and fail when they are not around. 

It is time to set goals.

I have heard it said that, “If you write a page a day, in a year you’ll have a 365 page novel,” The mindset behind these words is one that believes in the power of setting simple and relevant goals that bring about huge achievements over time.  I challenge you to put this mindset to the test.  Take your passions and put goals behind them.  Write out your dreams, and take one step at a time until you arrive (or expand the dream).  It is an amazing thing to feel inspired, but inspiration works far better as a progression tool than it does a starter key.