|
My Vision, My Dream
 I lived in South Africa during a significant part of
its history, witnessing first hand the beginnings of the implosion of
apartheid. My observations helped me discover an old but simple truth - despite
the miles across the world between people or the barriers in language, we are
all the same. The color of the blood within all our veins is
red, our basic nutritional needs are similar and what sustains life for us
is the same as are the basic desires within us. We are not as different
as we think we are!
It's not what sets us apart that make us strong, but what we share in common.
This is the secret to success – the power in unity. To focus on what
brings us together is the essence of Unlocking Secrets for Women. Regardless
of where we are both culturally and socially, we all share the same common
goals of wanting to do the best we can with what we have and to desire better
for ourselves, our loved ones and our society. To understand that common goal
helps us to continue to grow.
As I pictured the event "With Women in Mind" - seeing women,
organizations and skilled doctors gathering together to participate in
something so unique and diverse - I thought about the wonderful privilege
and opportunity that is before us.
It brings me complete joy to see so many people who don't know each other together
in one room with a common desire. There are those that want to offer
a hand to help to improve the quality of life for others and those
that desire that information. What a wonderful picture of giving, sharing,
care and compassion in one room.
Regardless of the "business" side of things, everyone participating is there
for the same reason. We all want to help and learn how we can make life better
for all of us, regardless of the topic. This is the essence of my desire
for Unlocking Secrets for Women and this inaugural event.
Unlocking Secrets for Women was born out of a strong passion to review the
foundation and philosophy of the way we deal with the challenges we all
face. As one who has endured much hardship and faced many obstacles, sometimes
as a result of my own lack of knowledge, I have recognized where my success
has come from. It has come through the beautiful gift of others and their
willingness to share their strengths for my benefit. A caring friend,
loved one or business colleague who took the time to give gifts of knowledge
and compassion are those who helped to complete the missing pieces of information within
me.
As a society, our challenges with our youth, crime rate, divorce and family
breakdowns still seem to indicate a barrier. In my opinion it isn't a
lack of desire for good that is a barrier, but rather misunderstanding the
reactions of our society around us. I believe that the "reactions" of
anger, crime and the breakdown of the family are happening against the sense
of threatened loss of that most basic need. I see reactions everyday within myself
and others that if only observed on a superficial level could be
quickly brushed off as just bad behavior... but is it?
I am continuing to learn the possibility that the opinions and reactions
within myself and others that appear negative could rather have a
better explanation. I think when we are disappointed with the outcomes of life
around us it is this very desire for something more that is at work here. What
we think is our own discontent towards ourselves and others - an angst we
all feel at one time or another - is common ground on which
to build.
I can remember during one of the toughest times of my life, a friend and
I were talking about where our lives were headed. I had mentioned that
in watching people (my favorite pastime) I saw many that I perceived to
be successful, whether in money or relationships or life) and I remember saying
how much I wanted that but didn't know how to get it. As I looked at my
life, I said to my friend "is this all there is?" Is this all there
is to life - that we get up every day, slave to our jobs, tangled and stuck
by the problems our lives have or even just feeling a deep sense of boredom.
Surely there must be something more to life - this can't be all that there
is. She looked at me and said what I thought was the saddest thing I had
ever heard - "you got it baby, this is all there is."
Something inside me rebelled against that and to this day it is always
there with me. When I face a new challenge or see a new problem I can't help
but think, there must be a way around this or there must be something
we are missing that we can't see. Surely someone somewhere must know how
to solve this. I have great faith in my fellow human beings that we bring
amazing gifts and talents into this world and if we could only learn to
tap into them and then be willing to share them, would we all be better
off.
Let's focus on what we share in common rather than what drives us apart. For
although there is beauty in diversity, it is our unified goals that
help us to build permanent bridges of love, tolerance and compassion.
We must continue to focus on what we have in common in order to
build this structure to house our diversity, so that it remains beneficial and
doesn’t become destructive.
Here in my own country of Canada is the unique example of inviting the many
diverse peoples and cultures of the world to come and live within our borders
peacefully, sharing one country. Our responsibility with this privilege is
to continue to show the world that we can live together despite our differences
by focusing on what is foundational to us all. These bridges of common ground
that we have built and continue to build will reach across the nations
of the world if we let them, and will create pathways of peace that we
can all benefit from. Unlocking Secrets for Women endeavors to be a part
of building that bridge!
Candace Newton
|
|
Disclaimer
Candace Newton is a facilitator, motivational speaker,
and educator and is not a professional counselor. Candace
Newton does not give advice, but redirects it to our
onboard counselor and to other resources. The topics
discussed on-air and at speaking engagements are to
be taken as informational, motivational, and as another
point of view. Her comments expressed are in the context
of "generally speaking" and may not be suitable
for all and as a facilitator takes no liability or responsibility
for any information disseminated on the program or in
person. Personal judgment and evaluation of one's own
situation is the responsibility of the listener. |
