Thursday, March 31, 2011

Growing In Leadership: the Pain of Exploring “Deep Waters”


Proverb
“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”

A Thought
“What's it all about, Alfie?”


Burt Bacharach asked an important question in his Alfie lyrics: does his answer help the leader know, control and give her/himself as a leader?

Is the answer to purpose – to love?

Just what does it mean “to love” anyway?

If you live your life and you "can't get no satisfaction," then your personal insight to the question does matter: Is love something you are in? Or is it something you do? Is it a bundle of nice feelings or a set of refreshing behaviors?

If love is about you then, is it really love? Might be lust. If It’s all about you, it is not love!

What's it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?
What's it all about when you sort it out, Alfie?
Are we meant to take more than we give
or are we meant to be kind?
And if only fools are kind, Alfie,
then I guess it's wise to be cruel.
And if life belongs only to the strong, Alfie,
what will you lend on an old golden rule?
As sure as I believe there's a heaven above, Alfie,
I know there's something much more,
something even non-believers can believe in.
I believe in love, Alfie.
Without true love we just exist, Alfie.
Until you find the love you've missed you're nothing, Alfie.
When you walk let your heart lead the way
and you'll find love any day, Alfie, Alfie.

Wrestling with purpose is critical for the leader:
  • Do you know why you are here?
  • For what have you been created?
  • How do you define your reason for being in this “moment we live?”

A Challenge
Have you taken the time to “sort it out?”


Lyrics copyright property of holder of that copyright: See http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/burt-bacharach-lyrics/alfie-lyrics.html

Copyright 2011 ©P. Griffith Lindell

1 comment:

Dave C said...

Sort of, pardon the pun. Love is about intimacy, intimacy is about trust, trust leads to submission (not to be confused with surrender which is more of a giving up vs submission which is giving of one's self).

Now the movie about Alfie and the lyrics in the song written for it, seems confusing, which I believe is the intent, as often is the case with most Hollywood versions of love, which is more of a selfish morphing of values.

We all need Love and we all cling to it in one manner or another. For some, it is more (as you noted) self love. But true Love that gives back is Love that is beyond our ability to describe fully but well within our capacity to experience.

True Love is feeling the Love of Someone Greater than yourself, and knowing that makes you submit to that Love with everything you have.

Hence, in a way, True Love is submission. Willful, wonderful, total submission to One Greater than yourself. Whether your spouse, your friend, or your God.