Whole-Life Heroes

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…at least the men and women I consider heroes, come in all sizes, capacities and conditions. Whether it’s imaginative, artistically created action figures of our comic book and/or movie heroes, or real time, living, breathing, eye-blinking heroes…heroes do come in all shapes, sizes and ages.

One of my current heroes (heroine…to be genetically correct) lives 1/2 mile from us. All we know is her first name. Why she is a hero to me is immediately obvious when you see her…and even more so when you talk with this warm, charming woman.

I had been wanting to meet her for days last year. One day she paused at our mail box, as she always does, before walking back up the hill to her home. I made a mad dash downstairs out of my home office and called out to her, as her “rest stop” was up. Generously she came back to speak with me.

“I see you often stoping at our mail box. I’m Wes, my wife is Judy, and we live right here. I’ve got my office in our home up in that second window, and I’ve been waiting to tell you, that even without knowing you, you are sincerely a new hero for me.”

She told me she lives exactly 1/2 mile from our mailbox and that as often as possible she needs to walk at least one mile a day. One day she realized that our mailbox was exactly that needed distance. She is one generous lady with her kind spirit, and we now are “waving friends” should I see her traversing her mile.

What I didn’t do was ask her what happened. Curious? You bet! One arm has been amputated above the elbow. The other arm has been amputated below the elbow. Oh my…

One leg has been amputated below the knee. The other leg has been amputated above the knee. Now words thoroughly fail me…This precious woman has four well-calibrated artificial limbs. This woman has one of the sweetest spirits of anyone I’ve ever met.

But no hands and feet? Ya gotta be kidding me!

LDG’s Whole-life, Whole-person Mentoring Model is about every human life functioning in 8 dimensions…no matter their circumstances, age, ethnicity, education, gender, religious beliefs, or how much money they have in the bank. Even briefly getting to know our “traversing neighbor” I am always drawn to think of her in LDG’s dimension we call the Physical Dimension of the Circle of Life:

…our health…wellness…
…fitness…exercise…
…rest…nutrition…
…sexuality…

Yes, this is only a brief definition of the Physical Dimension. But within this dimension these terms give us a point of reference.

As mentors, how are we each doing with those “essence terms” in our own personal lives? How are we encouraging those we mentor to be their own healthiest self? Are we living the kind of life that can suggest to others that “you do as I do and you will be arriving at your healthiest days?” As those being mentored, are you willing to also work at becoming your healthiest self yet?

Even if you are not a mentor
(which you do have the capacity to be…)
how’s your health? Really?

What all are the important things you are doing
to nurture honest wellness within that gift of a body of yours?

No matter your age, how fit are you?
How close are you to your best weight ever for your age?
What excuses have you been making
to keep unnecessary excess weight on your body?

How often do you get 7-8 hours+ of sleep a night?
(…reported to be the optimum for good health…)

What solids and fluids within the realm of good, healthy, nutritious food
and beverage are helping righteously fuel this gift of a body you have?

How fully alive are you
as the man or woman you have been created to be?

In our mentoring workshops, as well as in the personal mentoring I’ve the privilege of doing, we emphasize the fact that each of the dimensions in the Circle of Life has significant influence on all the others…plus or minus. We all know people who have had unwanted, unfortunate things happen to their health that they did not cause or choose. Just happened. But even with those dear souls, positive attention to their condition can add to the days they do experience.

This Physical Dimension, if attended to with care, will allow the other dimensions to flourish. If not carefully, daily, creatively attended to, you will know that in all the other dimensions of your life. Now…I’m “preaching to the choir” because you knew that already.

At almost 74, my olde bod is not what it used to be. That’s all the more reason to pay tasty and careful attention to my physical self. There are a few more aches oozing through my physical systems. But I am committed to being as healthy as possible for all the rest of my days.

What about you? What’s your commitment to yourself? What’s your commitment to live at optimal health for the benefit of those you love? For all those you influence and care about, if they should follow your own daily physical regimens, will they also be headed for their own best physical selves?

Most of us who read this will have both of our hands and feet still attached to our bodies. It is my hope and prayer that you get moving in all the right directions of life so that you can be fully alive in all the 8 Dimensions of your own Circle of Life. And I would welcome knowing how you are doing.

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LDG_ebook_coverFor more information on designing leaders through Intentional, Deep-Change, Whole-Life, Transformational Mentoring, download our free eBook.

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