The Grace of Spontaneity

In the mid-90s, when I decided to leave Corporate America and my long-held Human Resources role; I soon realized my life was totally lacking in spontaneity.  I was 45 years old, had spent 27 years in corporations and was so very spent, physically and mentally.  I decided to find a symbol to remind me to put spontaneity in my life; so, I purchased a coffee mug with Kokopelli on it—to me, he’s the epitome of spontaneity!  I quickly learned, however, that Kokopelli was seen as the god of fertility by a number of Southwestern Indian Tribes!  The Hopis believed Kokopelli carried unborn children on his back and distributed them to women, while the Zunis believed his flute playing chased away the winters and brought the spring rains.  (Below is a petroglyph and a modern-day Kokopelli.)

             

Around the same time, I was visited by a little Italian child, who was also the epitome of spontaneity!  While doing Human Resources (HR) at Gore & Associates, I met a fellow HR Associate from Verona, Italy, named Giovanna.  When we held our worldwide corporate HR meetings, she and I would share a room during the conference.  Shortly after I left Gore, she and her husband, Davide, and their daughter, Valentina (8 years old then), came to the States.  They stayed with me for part of their journey.

On the day of their arrival, as they approached my front door, I felt deeply that Valentina had a very important message for me; yet, I had never met her before.  During their visit, I had an opportunity to view this little child’s spontaneity—so very filled with life—who positively adored her Father—and he adored her!  I watched them interact; I watched her as she so enjoyed everything the Arizona desert had to offer.  I’ll never forget hearing her Italian words for the scenery – one day she saw an array of cacti and let out this excited word that sounded like “cock-toos!”  Another day we ventured out to the zoo—one experience completely made my day!  While standing looking at the elephants, in her Italian glee, Valentina giggled something to her Mother.  When I asked her Mother what she had said, she responded:  “I love the elephants, they’re always smiling!”  Ahhh, to see life through a child’s eyes!  She exuded love and life from every cell of her little body!  She was a child who was the outcome of parental love, discipline, care, education, and validation—everything every child so deserves.  She helped me to see the child I had put on a shelf 30 years prior when my Dad passed away.  She helped to change my life!  She was a tiny little messenger of Grace!  She exuded Beauty, Love, Peace, Joy…and Grace!  She was also a confirmation of the relationship that I had had with my own Dad when I was young.

Little Valentina’s light-heartedness and spontaneous ways taught me I must consider the needs of the little child inside me and provide her with sweetness and light.  Ahhh, the Grace of Spontaneity.