Monday Muses ?? ?? ??

I have had a most interesting week of walks runs jaunts visitations and glimpses from Memory Lane.

Oddly enough it all started not because of this image, but because of the National Leadership Awards

I was asked to fill in a questionnaire about Leadership and my thoughts in regards to various issues. So armed with my cup of tea (just as I have alongside of me now) I sat down and answered the questions (very hard to say everything one wants to say in 50 words or less)

This then led to speaking with a journalist for the Leadership Magazine. And it was that conversation that opened the gate to Memory Lane.

I looked back at so many people and things that have shaped me into the who I am now . I know I exasperated many people (I am oft surprised that the Marksman actually hasn't shot me) Wilhelm was always happy to chat, but even he must have grown frustrated by the ceaseless questions I posed with him and over the last few years I know I have pushed Corey past his never ending tolerance as I have sketched out concepts and asked for his thoughts.

The whirlpool of ideas that never stop arriving and the thought processes of taking distant and unrelated concepts and then finding the common ground is actually the easy part. The challenge is to fit the new concepts into the framework so that it can be classified as a scientific law (anything that can be replicated is deemed to be a scientific law)

One of the questions I answered was about achievement; I have a list of things that I have done and an even bigger list of things to do. One of the questions about achievement was why did I do XYZ, my answer was quite simply "because it needed to be done and because I could do it." As anyone who knows me will tell you there is only 2 criteria work within at all times regardless of what challenge is in front of me .

1. Is it needed?
2. Can I do what it will take?

If the answer is yes, then simply say yes, then work out how to do what ever it is that needs to be done.

Admittedly there are a long list of sub questions under the two main criteria. However nothing ever gets done unless it first gets started.

Craig's Table came about because it needed to be done, and although I had no idea what it was going to involve or ask of me personally I also knew that it would not be possible to formulate the question unless the answer was achievable. I didn't need to know what the end outcome would look like nor did I need to know what it was going to require me to find. I started with the question "Is it needed" and then the answer "Yes"

I wasn't expecting to climb mountains or cross sea's I wasn't expecting to be asked to stand and gift my voice to others. Nor was I expecting a the journey to last for 26 years (my injury happened on the 30th May 1994). I certainly didn't expect to by invited to sit on National and International committees or speak at National and International conferences.

All I did was say yes and the rest kinda just happened.

Whilst it is correct that the Marksman dared me to "build the better mouse trap" he had no idea as to whether or not I would be able to find the tools required in order to achieve as much as a rough sketch let alone anything else. (Have to be honest here, I had no idea either)

Somewhere I have a list of Achievements and Awards for what has been done. I revisited each and every one of them o'er this past week. I have touched the Awards and polished the glass of the Certificates, and looked photos. Each memory has its own back story and each one intersects with everything else. More importantly each memory holds all the wondrous people in my life. Some of the people have sadly passed on, others have gone on with their own lives and some remain.

I even sat for a while to give thanks to the detractors. Over the years there have been many of them. Each in their own way have placed greater challenges in place that I was grateful for at the time. It really is only in hindsight that it is possible to see how because of the detractors and naysayers that new and wider and more varied thought processes came into being. Hence in many ways as much as they didn't like what I was creating, they ensured that I paid closure attention to where my focus was and made certain that the foundation was as solid as I could make it.

At the end of the journey I looked at the images of the other Community Leader Finalists Nathan Schokker Jo Mason Daniel Marshall Geoff Rowe Karishmas Samtani Dr Mohit Tolani Chris Boden and Sammy Herbert and felt an immense feeling of grace and gratitude along with a sense of awe and inspiration.

For now it is time to tether Memory Lane and move onto where to next. Before I do that though I want to leave you with a short poem.

A Bag of Tools by R. L. Sharpe

I SN'T IT strange,

That princes and kings,

And clowns that caper

In sawdust rings,

And common people

Like you and me

Are builders for eternity?

Each is given a bag of tools,

A shapeless mass,

A book of rules;

And each must make—

Ere life is flown—

A stumbling block

Or a steppingstone.

My honest heart felt hope and wish is for each of you to understand that every stumbling block is merely a stepping stone in disguise and if you need a hand to steady you along life's journey, reach out I will always be here in place to help you as those who have shaped me have held me in place when all I wanted to do was stop.

And even though it is a lot later than I thought it would be I was determined to not stop writing until I had actually pushed the publish button for this weeks Monday Muses.

Yours in service

Rosemary

 National Outstanding Leadership Dinner that is set for the 4th September at the Royal International Convention Centre (Royal ICC) in Brisbane I hope to see you there.

Comp Laude and Gala