Monday, April 20, 2009

Keys to Successful Visioning - Intention, Integrity and Imagination

Happy Monday! After a rainy, dreary day, I am looking back and remembering the joy, pride and relief, I enjoyed over the weekend. On Saturday, the weather was warm and the sun was bright in Northern Virginia. I spent the day with my daughter and son working outside to create a reading garden at our local elementary school. The work was done to support my daughter's gold award project and was a fitting capstone experience that showed how intention, integrity and active imaginations make things happen!

This reading garden sprung to life when Sandra gave voice to her vision and followed up with a letter of intention at the beginning of her senior year. She got into action, did research at the library, asked for advice and help, visited hardware stores, secured permission and approval and then put the plans aside expecting to get it done before graduation.

As spring time beckoned, other priorities competed for her time. Sandra was tempted to toss the reading garden idea off, say that she was too busy with school work and just hang out with friends. She wanted nothing more than to plan for the prom and graduation, yet her integrity kicked in and triumphed. She decided to follow up and fulfill the promise she made at the beginning of the school year when graduation seemed far away. She gathered us all together, explained her plan and we were assigned duties.

My husband, his brother and several friends worked with us to build the benches according to the plans she had found on the internet. While the younger guys, were digging post holes for the benches we built, I distributed snacks, drinks and took pictures. Sandra drilled holes and became quite proficient with the electric screwdriver. When the benches were all assembled, we sanded them and made quite a dusty mess in the garage. The work was not done however as the benches now had to be cemented into the ground. It was hard work and well worth the effort. At the end of the day, I checked off one task on my unfulfilled promise list and I felt good and so did Sandra! One less thing to weigh me (us) down.

With this success behind us, I felt free to reflect and envision Sandra's upcoming transition and my hopes and dreams for her. She will be heading for college on August 14th and she will be 7 hours away from us at UVA Wise. I hope she will remember this day and how good it felt to complete what she had promised to do. I hope she will remember how intention, integrity, and her imagination helped her to achieve her vision.

I hope she will remember her success and remember that she did not succeed alone. I hope she will remember to acknowledge those who helped her to realize her vision. I hope she will find time to help those who need support and an exta hand. In the years to come, I hope she will continue to share her dreams with others and to gain from their support and encouragement. I hope she will continue to imagine bigger projects and more fun filled days that are both recognized and celebrated.

Looking now at my hopes and dreams for my daughter, I realize that these are my hopes and dreams for me too!

What are your hopes and dreams? How you can you put your intentions, integrity and imagination to work for you?