I got the sweetest email on my way to work today. It was from Molly Lopez, my friend Miranda's sister who crashed at my place in NYC while her apartment was getting ready. Molly made a donation to Raising Malawi back when she stayed at my place, in a gesture of thanks. Today, she told me her mom made $100 donation to Raising Malawi for her birthday. I was sitting at a red light when I read this. And I just welled up with tears. By the time the light turned green, I could feel the many metaphors of motion happening in my life.
See, I never met Molly. Or her mom. I didn't even know Miranda when I first set this little goal of mine.
It's that thing I say in my blog header above: "I know my goal is possible, only I have no idea how to meet it." I had no idea the people I'd meet. Or how I'd drum up these funds. But I see it happening every day now.
Plus, I never take my eye off the ball. NEVER.
There is a basic rule of spirituality as Kabbalah might explain it: If you don't crave, you don't get. Light only comes to a place where there is a strong desire, a place where there is craving.
I took a course in Wisdom some years ago. Yes, there is such a thing. It outlined 7 stages of success/realizing your vision in the world. They are:
Stage 1: Express.
It's dreaming up your big idea over a few beers or whatever and then declaring it to the world. "I, Julia Silka, will raise $101,000 for the women and children who need it most."
Stage 2: Remember.
Er....what was that promise I made again?
Stage 3: Fail.
Been there. It took a lot to get this commitment of mine in motion. Lots of false starts, ideas without action and fundraising activity that didn't amount to much.
Stage 4: Succeed.
I've had some great wins; great fundraising activity. I'm getting better at it. More clear what works and what doesn't.
Stage 5: Flood.
Here's where the abundance kicks in. More than you think you can handle. So much so, that it wrecks your little structure. Forces you to expand/personally grow. I'm definitely not there yet on this project....although there is an opportunity unfolding with Raising Malawi right now for me to play a more stepped up role with their organization.
Stage 6: Explain & Understand.
This is where you have some mastery around what it is that you've created and you distinguish the concept in such a way that you can extend it beyond yourself. Others can lead your vision.
Stage 7. Lose.
I just love this. I mean, really LOVE this idea. Talk about overcoming your ego. This is the stage where you need to let go so that what you have created can live without you. It has grown so much bigger than you, in fact, that people even forget that you were once associated with it.
I'm summarizing a year-long course, but I hope I can impart at least a touch of its brilliance. Most people never make it past Stage Three. They just close the books on their dreams and find something else to do. At least they get there. Think of all the people you know who don't get past Stage One. They just spend their days talking shit. They're all around us, everywhere.
I'm at Stage Four now and expect to get to Stage 5 soon; maybe even Stage 6.
But Stage 7 will really be the test. Looking back from that future when I know I was behind the design of the fundraising programs that could be replicated by Raising Malawi to effectively flip whole villages from extreme poverty to self-sustaining and bring prosperity where there was once despair..........I wonder.........will I be humble enough to say nothing? To not have to take credit? I don't know yet, but I hope that's the case.
Meanwhile, I am so grateful to every single person who's come into my life to do whatever little bit they can to help. It all adds up. And, as of today, it's added up to $33,070.61
For this, I thank you. And my mother thanks you. And her mother thanks you. And her mother thanks you....(My grandma used to always say that.)
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