Back On His Feet Again

Last we talked, Lance felt lost. Now back in the world from which he escaped for a few months, he was at first caught off guard by his own disorientation upon his return to work. Fast forward to now, it is almost one month since he has been back, and he has regained his mental balance. His routine is re-established, his relationships are still strong and his sense of efficacy and relevance is once again solid.

Not the same, but solid.

In fact, very little about Lance's feelings are the same as when he left. His orientation to the world has shifted and his sense of what is important is dramatically different. Much of the drama of the past now looks just plain silly. Old "To Do" lists are filled with a million tiny fine tunings that didn't move the march of civilization one step closer to that golden city on the hill, yet Lance once invested them with great importance and passion. Going away and coming back brings with it a whole new view of his job and his value to his work. That was earth shaking at first, because of the perceived loss of function. Now, it is mind blowing in it's awesome potential.

Wrestling with the intramural battles between personalities, kingdoms and protocols once seemed so majestic, but now his mind goes straight to the games being played and says, "No thanks. I'll be over here working on outcomes that matter, that move mountains, not molehills."

It is what Lance has been preparing to do for 30 years...to rise above the operational and break into whole new worlds of untapped opportunity. There is nothing he won't seek out, stretch towards or invite into discussion if it can expand the footprint of Strathmore into a new realm. Unbounded by the daily demands of management (through the miracle of delegation) he has only to think it, to pursue it. And while it may take some getting used to after decades of minding the daily store, this is the only way forward. There is no going back. Of that, he is quite sure.

Lance has come home, but it is a different home now. He listens to that inner voice first, not as an afterthought. He listens more carefully, longer and allow silence to do its work. He is fully aware of how he is being perceived and how little it takes to imply judgement..a raised eyebrow, a pause, a half smile all seem to a subtle signal others who wonder what he is thinking. It isn't intentional, but many around him seem to be working overtime to read his thoughts. And the quieter he is, the more curious they are. Meanwhile, Lance is finding himself projecting the script of conversations he is in as if he's already had them and they aren't compelling enough to hold his attention as they once used to.

His mind is constantly wondering to the big questions.

What do the arts do for the un-artistically appreciative citizen?

What is the nature of creativity and why is it so rarely sought, taught or celebrated in daily life?

How can Strathmore get out into the region and impact people's lives outside of the school or performance venue?

What is he ultimate value of this institution to the future of our County beyond shows and classes?

With his new office-at-home setup and his children fully engaged in their own lives again, this is a new age for Lance with fewer restrictions, more assets and a course he can chart for as far as his mind can see.

This is a journey again, this time without an end date.