Mission of the Heart

My sister shared a story then and, in her telling, I, as a child, was so overwhelmed by her sense of awe, of excitement, of wonder, of possibility and imagination that I decided one day I would return her sharing, to give back that sense of joy and wonder, to fire those feelings of awe and excitement and experience that imagination again.

It was only two or three years ago that I was able to take the first step towards that goal, and largely, I admit, that step was taken due to the far-reaching resources of the internet.

Less than a week ago I took the second step, starting the actual “doing”, the necessary act to create the sharing. It was time, I thought. There was no other reason to start when I did. It was simply time and that was enough.

And yesterday afternoon, at about 6pmET, I had completed all the steps.

I rested from my labor. I understood why my sister, seven years my senior and in high school when I was in grade school, had felt the things she did.

I shared her feelings, finally.

But I am now late into middle-age.

I know why she felt the things she felt. I could understand what had caused the wonder, the awe, the joy, the excitement that made imagination’s fires burn.

What she shared that long ago afternoon set me on a course still guiding my life; to give others that sense of ultimate possibility, of limitlessness, to kindle in others that fire she kindled in me.

But I am older and she older still and I can not reverse the sharing, I can not explain to her what I now understand. To her it was a moment, something she’s forgotten (I know from asking).

So I’m writing this for my sister, Sandra, who gave me a mission of the heart, with angels to guide and stars to light the way.

Thank you.

[[Note: This post originally appeared on the An Economy of Meaning blog on 11 June 2013 about 6pmET. I’m reposting it here because it’s mentioned in My Sister Got Me Started and an upcoming interview.]]