By Sue Ellen Haning
Columnist
“Let sleeping dogs lie, but rise up! You sleeping giants.” — Bernard Kelvin Clive, Ghana born author, inspirational speaker and trainer.
How do you invite a giant to dinner?
Answer: With genuine care
Be sure you don’t call while the giant is sleeping, working or playing.
So, what is the best time? Is a formal invitation more appropriate for a giant than a phone call or e-mail?
If you connected with your Edgar or Ethel after last week’s double-dog dare, you know when the best time is ... so what are you waiting for?
If, last week, you did not experience the tingling, fluttering, heartthrob of the giant within you, then perhaps you will try again to listen, to connect.
We live in a culture that reveres eating (see Karl Isberg’s column) and organizes any occasion around a feast. When we wish to get to know someone a little better, we ask them to dinner. This could be in a public place which provides a neutral setting, or we can invite them onto our own turf.
When dealing with giants (the sensitive beings they are) who can make an enormous amount of noise and commotion, it is necessary to proceed with care. When your giant is sitting at the table with you, remain calm, smile, listen and believe this is actually happening.
Yes, you are in the midst of greatness, and Edgar and Ethel want to be heard, for they provide you with courage, strength, power and wisdom, and boost your confidence.
Listen carefully, for your Edgar or Ethel is your partner in ordering your life so you can be the real you who lives daily with exuberance, pursuing what is valuable to you.
When connected to your Edgar or Ethel, you will no longer be the person who is exhausted from living as others think you should. Yes, Edgar and Ethel are miracle workers.
In a past column, I made reference to a nurse who dreamed of writing musical scores for movies, but whose disapproving parental voices playing loudly in his head sent him in a direction other than his dreams.
The difference in those who do and those who don’t is action.
Guess how much action you can take with a giant helping you? Heaps, especially when headed uphill. As long as you stay connected to your dreams, so will your giant.
Those who move toward their dreams understand the value of putting one foot in front of the other. Step by step, little by little, they move and keep moving, despite what could appear to others as evidence of failure. I promise, Edgar and Ethel don’t comprehend failure, and neither will you with them on your side.
Have you ever had a giant whisper in your ear? Get ready: it gets your attention. It tickles; it makes you smile.
When you see something as a setback or bump in the road to your goal, your giant will whisper something like this: “Oh boy, we get to learn something here,” or “We’ll get a small break before taking the next step.” Anyway, with the determination of a giant, you’ll understand.
Your giant, whether it is Edgar or Ethel, is at the core of who you really are. No one can steal your authenticity… but you can give it away. You can conform to others’ desires for you.
Most people can verbalize what their dream is, but then they look at their circumstances and don’t believe it can ever be. This is where Edgar and Ethel are life savers. Heck, they are giants. They can do anything. They can get behind you and be the support you need to keep moving. From time to time you may have to humor your giant who will no doubt flex his/her giant muscles and keep you hopping. In other words, persist with the giant and you will one day, when you least expect it, be wallowing in the midst of your dream. You will be standing on the mountain top in awe of what can happen when you put one foot in front of the other toward the goal.
There are times when you don’t realize you are moving forward, but you are. Giants don’t stay still for long. Have you ever had a fitful night’s sleep or no sleep at all as you toss and turn, experiencing the same thoughts all night long? Remember the earlier suggestion that your giant may toss you around sometimes? Edgar and Ethel would rather support you in realizing your dream than do anything else — even play a round of golf at the premier St. Andrews course in Scotland — so pay attention to those sleepless nights. Ask your giant to help you get the message.
If you’ve ever wished for someone on your side who can make a difference, all you need to do is look within to that smiling giant. He’s all yours. So, in thinking what might be the best way to invite your giant to dinner, simply be sincere in your invitation, genuine in your desire to partner up. This will be time well spent, I assure you.
I wish you a great first meeting with giant Edgar and giant Ethel and leave you with a quote from the Indian business tycoon who founded Reliance Industries, Dhirubhai Ambani. “If you don’t build your dream, someone else will hire you to help them build theirs.”
Have a great week and join me next time for, “Is this an illusion or did someone put pot in the brownies?”
sueellen.haning@gmail.com
