In the fall of 2007 I met a woman who would change my life and outlook. She is tall, beautiful and her skin tone is dark. I am white, short and a little round. When she wrote of her vision of her life in 6 months she reflected on our first meeting.
In our first coaching session I was using the Visual Explorer images to access emotions and begin to build trust. Without looking at the images she had randomly chosen a monochromatic image of a dandelion clock. She quickly responded in a factual manner ‘ I see everything in black and white.’ Her tone of voice felt like a challenge and that a door had been opened. I walked cautiously toward the threshold.
I brought up what she had written in her bio in response to the question ‘Have you ever experienced any violent or traumatic experiences like war or accident?”’ ‘Growing up in the 60s and 70s as the child of a biracial family.’ I took a deep breath, walked into the room and asked if she could tell me some stories that she remembered. Her stories flowed from her with vivid language. The events felt like they had happened yesterday. I listened and wept inside.
We agreed to continue our work past the two sessions that her company had purchased. She had started to read The Art of Possibility by Zander and Zander and I suggested she consider writing an essay based on their idea of ‘getting an A’. She agreed to write on what life would look like by her birthday 6 months away after being involved in this intense coaching work. This is what she wrote at the end of the piece she sent me.
I am no longer living in a black and white world.
I am part of a larger whole.
I am shaping my future.
I am free.
From her mouth to G!D’s ear.
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