The greatness of others...in ourselves
This past summer I came across a passage about greatness, written by Madisyn Taylor, called "Recognizing Our Own Greatness: The Greatness In Others." It was part of an email series from the Daily Om website, and I have reproduced it below:
A person who is said to possess greatness stands apart from others in some way, usually by the size or originality of their vision and their ability to manifest that vision. And yet those who recognize that greatness, whether they display it themselves or not, also have greatness within them; otherwise, they could not see it in another. In many ways, the achievements of one person always belong to many people for we accomplish nothing alone in this world. People who display greatness rely upon others who are able to see as they do, to listen, encourage, and support. Without those people who recognize greatness and move in to support it, even the greatest ideas, works of art, and political movements would remain unborn.
We are all moved by greatness when we see it, and although the experience is to some degree subjective, we know the feeling of it. When we encounter it, it is as if something in us stirs, awakens, and comes forth to meet what was inside us all along. When we respond to someone else's greatness, we feed our own. We may feel called to dedicate ourselves to their vision, or we may be inspired to follow a path we forge ourselves. Either way, we cannot lose when we recognize that the greatness we see in others belongs also to us. Our recognition of this is a call to action that, if heeded, will inspire others to see in us the greatness they also possess. This creates a chain reaction of greatness unfolding itself endlessly into the future.
Ultimately, greatness is simply the best of what humanity has to offer. Greatness does what has not been done before and inspires the same courage that it requires. When we see it in others, we know it, and when we trust its presence in ourselves, we embody it.
(Madisyn Tyler; July 16, 2013)
This phenomenon of possessing the very greatness we see in others, because we can see it, is ingrained in the Nurtured Heart Approach as well. While Ms. Taylor may be referring particularly to the Greatness that sparks big changes and wide recognition, the kind of greatness that the NHA helps to cultivate may be thought of as a bit more ordinary, a bit smaller-scale, and accessible to everyone; the little moments that could certainly one day become world-wide movements or achievements, but which for now are simple, small acts that still deserve celebration.
The NHA equips practitioners with a new lens for viewing everyday moments, so that tiny "molecules" of greatness can be harvested from what might otherwise be deemed a completely mundane or expected behavior.
In practice, embodying the lens and spirit of the NHA is such a reciprocally nourishing process.
In such a process, we (1) claim that lens and take a stand to see the greatness in a given instance or action, we (2) call out the greatness that we see (and tell the person who is demonstrating said greatness, if at all possible!), and then we (3) get to realize that by having seen that greatness in someone else -- whether it takes the form of "respect," or "courage," or "patience," or any other great qualities -- we get to claim those qualities as our own, too!
We wouldn't be able to see it in others if it were not also within us.
Kind of a fancy version of "it takes one to know one," really.
What qualities of greatness have you noticed (and, therefore, embodied) lately?