THE GOVERNANCE CIRCLE

"The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven." —  John Milton In a bustling city buzzing with the symphony of honking horns and the whir of engines, Alex moved in his most prized possession-a vintage sports car, he had named " Eleanor ," Eleanor was a magnificent machine with a gleaming crimson exterior and an engine that purred like a contented tiger. Under Alex's eagle-like focus, Eleanor glided through traffic with an almost sentient grace. Her turns were precise, and her acceleration smooth.   One day, however, Alex was preoccupied with a tempest of worries – a looming deadline at work, a forgotten anniversary gift, a flickering check engine light on the dashboard that he hadn't had time to address. As he started his commute, Eleanor's movements became jerky, her engine sputtered, and her tires squealed loudly around a corner she usually took with ease. A near-miss with a yellow cab jolted Alex back to real...

  I admired the late actress Dame Maggie Smith (DBE) from the first time I saw her.  She starred in a movie adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun as the glamorous resort owner, Daphne Castle.     Her popularity soared with younger fans when she played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter movies, and of course the Dowager Countess in the Downton Abbey series. She had the unique ability to turn a simple line into something not only alive but also majestic. No one can forget her iconic “ What is a weekend?” line from Downton Abbey. I am no longer the movie buff I once was. Still, I'd watch any movie that featured Maggie Smith. On occasion, I have “watched” an entire movie by skipping to her scenes just to hear her speak.  N aturally, when I saw the movie Mrs. Silly  on my YouTube feed I had to watch it. Maggie’s face on the thumbnail, made it an easy choice. I didn't expect the movie to provoke any deep thoughts, but i...

  Building on Part One , we now conclude the Know Thyself series. ________________________________________________________________ In life, we take on different roles: father, mother, sister, brother, homemaker and much more.  This  movie reminded me of the importance of not getting lost and completely identified with any single role. Yes, we are to play our roles to the best of our ability. Still, it is vital that we step back sometimes and ask Who am I without all the titles , the busyness and the routines?  Consider what kind of person you want to be by the time you leave this worl d.   B ecause you see, like it or not, all roles have a beginning and an end, like in a stage play. Careers end. Marriages end. Children grow up and need their parents less. Sooner or later, everybody dies. Who am I truly when the spotlight dims on my one, or two, or seven roles? This isn't an easy question to answer. But  we must answer it if we are not to be left utt...