There is a cast of thousands that influence/d one and made us what we are today as individuals.
Parents. Siblings. Grandparents. Aunts and uncles. Cousins. Guardians. Have a long think about that one.
The kids we grew up with and knew at school and university.
The many teachers and profs. The coaches and trainers.
Those people we worked with in summer and permanent jobs.
The people we met in passing along the way. The strangers, acquaintances, and time-limited others.
The spouses, partners, and companions.
To say nothing of the myriad hours of reading, study, computer time, tv, radio, and movies.
No, we are never alone. We are always in different changing contexts and relationships.
Whatever we do or have success at comes with the influence and involvement of many others.
Looking back, I have a long list of significant others, coworkers, associates, assistants, and aiders in whatever successes I’ve had. And many of these are admittedly just a matter of good luck and good fortune.
I know I have not deserved to be as lucky as I have been so far. But they do say that you can make your own luck and so I continue to be a believer in possibilities, in ephemeral doors and windows. My bent, in fact and practice, has often been to take the risk and make the first move, knowing the opportunity will not likely be there long or that if I don’t generate it, it simply won’t happen.
Authorship in one’s own life. ‘Life is what we make of it.’ We choose and create our own lives. Definitely!
And so, our lives open up and flow more positively if we imagine and create, if we act on our dreams and wishes, and if the momentary impulse or inspiration moves toward will, its expression, and action.
But, as all of this is true, nonetheless, we must remember that we often need and seek others’ help no matter how much we convince ourselves, deludedly, that we act completely alone without the involvement and participation of those many others out there. “No [wo]man is an island.”