The Seasons of My Life
“So With my life -the years go by.
My goals and dreams before me lie.
Some fulfilled and others no.
In this fall of life Afterglow.
Winter comes it seems so bold
With winds and snow and icy cold.
All nature groans beneath it’s load
Waiting for spring again to unfold.
I’m growing old. My head is white.
The Winter of life has me in it’s bite.
Life is full, but heaven is near.
My eye’s look up to my Lord So dear.
My years on earth have been rich and full.
But heaven is beckoning I feel it’s pull.
The Lord will call, it won’t be long.
Till I join singing the redeemed one’s song (M. Laug, 2017)”.
The poem above is an excerpt from a poem written by my grandmother. She wrote this poem The Seasons of my life during her last year on earth. When my grandmother passed away, she left us with the gift of a book of her poetry. When I read this chapter of the anthology, I was struck by how the words by Seneca “winter is on my head, but spring is on my heart” (p.269) and how they paralleled to my grandmother’s poem. It is evident in both the anthology and my grandmother’s poem, growing old is a privilege which brings joy and pleasure.
In terms of influence, my grandmother was one of the most influential people in my life. Her impact on people was made even more clear to me in her death. I met many people at her funeral who informed me of her impact on them and their families. In her life, I don’t think she had any clue how broad her scope of influence was. She was a leader in her own right, who lead with fearless tenacity. People were in awe in her presence. It could be the worst situation, and she would lead with unwavering calm and grace. My goal is to be able to face life and leadership in this way.
Lubbock proclaims “Life must be measured by thought and action and not by the time” ( p.277). Growing old is a part of life in part nine of the anthology the theme of old age as our final and greatest act. Words of wisdom fall off the pages with instructions on how to age gracefully and with dignity. Seneca is quoted “let us see to it that our life’s like jewels of great price, be noteworthy not because of their width but because of their weight. Let us measure them by their performance, not their duration” (p.276). The leadership lesson that can be learned here is effective leadership is measured by action. Our leadership should not be measured by time, or accomplishments but by our impact. Often our action is in the little things, such as giving an employee a ride home, buying lunch or a coffee. Recently I found myself duct taping an employee bumper back on her car. It is these small moments that amount to mass influence.
In my own professional life, the biggest team I lead was 64 individuals. When I left, I was heartbroken. I worked with the team for almost 6 years, and 8 years with others. When I left, I was blown away by the stories of people’s lives in which I was told I influenced and made a difference. You never know the impact you will have on someone’s life or their career. Every time we open our mouths, we have a chance to influence others for the greater good. In terms of growing old, in leadership, I think wisdom is the gift of time and experience. The more time I spend in a leadership role, the more I learn through knowledge of experience.
In my current role, I reflect on my experiences in dealing with people. I remember what I did before, what worked and what did not work. Everyone is unique, he or she brings different skill sets and talents to a team. I have learned my coaching style, must change to match the individual. I always think of my grandmother Mary, and ask what she would do in this situation?
Every interaction is an opportunity to influence others. As leaders, we need to be conscious of the fact our actions and thoughts impact our followers. How can you use your influence to inspire those around you today? Wisdom and understanding are gifts we gain from aging. Time is a privilege; aging is a gift from an incredibly loving and faithful God.
References
Laug, M.A. (2017). The Seasons of My Life. Idaho. Laug &Laug.
Watson, L. E. (1988). Light from many lamps. New York: Simon & Schuster.