INNER GUIDANCE | SURRENDER

I’m Gonna Be a BCM

How words can take on a meaning of their own.

One of the life lessons I have learned and shared in my speech at the World Domination Summit in 2012 is: “Money is never an issue. Never! Ever! Period! End of story!”

I have lived by this principle since I learned it. I relied on it while Walking Route 66, and it has been my experience during this time of Shelter in Place, where I haven’t worked in six months. Money is flowing into my life even though I am not employed.

While, for the most part, it has been a positive force in my life and keeps me relatively stress-free, it has also made me numb. I have been content with the bare minimum, surviving, and getting by.

You can’t sleep well at night if you are not living up to your potential.

To say that I am satisfied with it would be an error. The feeling that I am capable of more, and not living up to my potential has continuously nagged me. I know I can do better; I want to do better. However, since I am not motivated by material things, I have struggled with finding inspiration to do more.

You can render to God and humanity no greater service than to make the most of yourself. ~ Wallace D Wattles, Science of Getting Rich.

You can’t sleep well at night if you are not living up to your potential. If you’re struggling with insomnia, it may be time for soul searching and life-purpose tune-up.

Last week, I woke up in the middle of the night or was it early in the morning, it doesn’t matter. As I laid there, the nagging feeling returned. I said, “God, I know you’ve always taken care of me, and I am grateful. I need your guidance, not just for today, but for the long-term.”

“You need to do more, you need to expand your reach,” I was told. But, before I could object or say I don’t have the knowhow, I heard, “Don’t worry about how; you’ll grow into it.”

A feeling of empowerment came over me. I heard these words from one of my favorite songs ride the wave of this energy flowing through my body.

“I’ll take those long nights, impossible odds, Keeping my eyes to the keyhole, If it takes all that to be just what I am, I’m gonna be a blue-collar man.

“Keeping my mind on a better life Where happiness is only a heartbeat away; Paradise, can it be all I heard it was I close my eyes, and maybe I’m already there”

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

Blue Collar Man.

I made a note to write a story about the Blue Collar Man. It sat on my desk untouched. However, I had the opportunity to share the incident in the comments of a couple of stories.

In her story about interpreting intuition, Amy Marley wrote,

Or maybe it is more about trusting we will be guided no matter what choice we make. The universe has our back in a way we may never know or understand.

I commented,

This morning when I lay in bed, getting ready to get up, I asked for guidance. Not just for the day, but for the long-term.

I was told that I was settling; I needed to expand and reach for big dreams. “Don’t worry about how? You’ll grow into it. Know that whatever you want, you can have it. Just go for it.”

I heard “Blue-collar man” by Styx in my head.

To which she said,

Wow — love this telling. You’ll grow into it.

The song though — doesn’t seem to fit what I know of “you” … interesting.

I’m sure it is clear to you how it fits though… very interesting.

BCM: My interpretation.

From what I’ve read, this song was a statement of solidarity with industrial working-class Americans. I can see that, and I don’t disagree with it, but I have an expanded understanding with which you may or may not agree.

There are two groups of workers, white-collar and blue-collar. White-collar is upwardly mobile corporate types, whereas blue-collar is “working class,” or what is referred to as “essential workers” these days.

In my view, the song refers to the struggle between the conventional wisdom that says there is security in working for Corporate America; strive to be a white-collar man. And the unconventional route of taking pride in doing whatever it takes to be “just what I am” — a blue-collar man; the essential worker — someone who makes a difference in the world.

When you are a writer.

As writers, we express our thoughts in words of our choice and put them out into the world. It would behoove us to set them free. What I mean is let the reader interpret them as they see fit.

Poets are particularly adept at this. Poetry can be interpreted in many ways. That is why the religious traditions of the world have used poetry as the medium of communication. It allows for personal interpretation.

Do you care what meaning people give to your words? Do you have any control over it? If you intend to make a difference in people’s lives, does it matter how it comes about?

Think about it.

Just for fun.

As always, thank you for reading and responding.

Here are a couple of related stories:

Rasheed Hooda is a published author, who has contributed to many of Medium’s top Publications; Start-up, The Ascent, P.S. I Love You, Rogues’ Gallery, and ILLUMINATION, to name a few. He is also a Top Writer on several topics. If you like his work, buy him a coffee, he drinks a lot of it.

Testimonial by other writers.