The shoulders we stand on

I had another conversation yesterday with the actor whose biography I might be writing.  This is a man of enormous dignity and accomplishment, and I was struck by an element of his world view: that he is part of a chain, part of a line of human families that ultimately includes all of mankind, that all of his efforts, all of his actions impact all the world.  This kind of belief creates some of the strongest human beings who have ever walked the planet.  Their efforts do not rest on ego.  They rest on the bedrock of unwavering admiration for the great ones who have come before, and compassion for the children of tomorrow.  This is almost always given to a child by a parent or other adult figure: a mother, a father, a grandparent, perhaps a teacher.  In this case, he is part of a lineage of extraordinarily accomplished, talented and committed individuals.  The weight of such responsibility will crush you if you are not balanced.  If you ARE balanced, such pressure and heat creates diamonds.   It begins with the family.  It begins with a commitment to spirit.  We are all in this alone, together.