Are You Supporting or Extracting, Who are you Serving and Why it matters?

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Are You Supporting or Extracting, Who are you Serving and Why it matters?

Baseline

In life we live we have brain, body and spirit. I further believe that we have a mind, soul and emotions. Each of these help the individual, help us to experience and define life for ourselves. Our brain gives us the ability to think and reason. Our body houses our brain that gives us the ability to experience energy (soul), connections (spirit) and interpretations (emotions).

Tests to determine Support or Extraction

With this understanding, determining whether my motives are pure or not comes down to these tests. Test 1>Is the motive to encourage an individual’s independence, help them find their purpose and identity and own the power that is in their ability to control? Test 2>Is my motive to use what I know to create an environment of dependence, identity formation and control.

A Movie Metaphor

I don’t know if you are a fan of the movie, or even know about the movie, The Wizard of Oz. When I was growing up the movie would be available to watch 1 time a year. Yes I am older, 68 years old. But this is besides the point. The reason I introduce this movie is that the plot is very interesting. Dorothy, due to a storm is transported to the land of Oz.

After arriving she meets 3 key figures that I will note, to use to illustrate in this article. The cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow without a brain and the Tin man with no heart. At least that is what the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin man have been led to believe. Not sure what led them to have these belief about themselves, but with Dorothy, they search for the great Oz.

Who is the Great and Powerful Oz?

The Great and Powerful Oz, who will give them what they lack, courage, a brain and a heart. And when they finally stand in the presence of the Great and Powerful Oz all they see is a curtain and a loud thunderous voice. In trepidation Dorothy, speaks but the Great and Powerful Oz is not kind to them, demanding silence. But then Toto, Dorothy’s dog runs to the curtain.

Toto, as I remember, pulls back the curtain where an old feeble man stands speaking into a microphone. When this occurs the reality is exposed. What Dorothy, the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin man realize, as the great Oz reminds them. Reminds them – the Lion has courage, the Scarecrow has a brain and the Tin Man has a heart. That they already had what they sought.

In the Land of the Great and Powerful Systems

Through my process and journey growing up with the impact of a traumatic brain injury and an invisible disability, I found myself in a land similar to Oz. Similar to Oz because I thought I lacked something that only the “system” could reveal to me. Like the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin man, I already had possessed the knowledge I was seeking from the “recovery”.

Little Known about Brain Injuries and Invisible Disabilities

Because I looked normal after my external wounds healed, in 1968, the impact of my traumatic brain injury could not and was not considered. Actually, little was known about brain injuries or brain injury recovery in the 1960′, 70′, 80’s or 90’s, much less about invisible disabilities. Consequently, the “system” was unable to help me navigate what was not understood.

So, unbeknownst to me I was navigating my process and journey living. Living with the impact of an open skull fracture, right frontal lobe damage, a severe brain bruise with brain stem involvement and being in a 3 week long coma. And because little was known, I had to learn how to navigate life without a proverbial “compass” or “guidance” concerning brain injury recovery.

Charting a Course in the land of Systems

As I charted my course the best I knew how to, I discovered that I needed to involve all of me. My mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions in the process of learning how to integrate to not give up on myself, despite what was not understood or known. To do this and by the grace of God I learned how to integrate my mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions to not stay stuck.

And because I found myself in a land where “systems” rule I received little support or encouragement from the land of various “systems’. Systems that appear as the Great and Powerful Oz who stand behind policy and procedures. Behind policies and procedures that leave me to believe, like the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin man that I the system alone has the answers.

Not Blaming the Land of “Systems”

I am not blaming the land of “systems” for standing behind the curtain, because I do not know if the know any better. Blinded possibly by agendas that have the “systems” interest in mind instead of those they are charged to serve. Blinded by an interest to protect the survival of the “system” through extracting, instead of supporting, to serve to protect the mode of operation.

What I have found over nearly 7 decades of living is that “system thinking” does not take into account the whole person. Instead the individual is compressed and compartmentalized into manageable groups. Groups that are labeled, stereotyped and stigmatized that result in them believing that they, like the Lion, the Scarecrow and the Tin man, do not know any better.

Adjusting How things are Done

Any better than “if” they do not speak to the “system” experts. System experts that are located behind a proverbial “curtain” of knowledge that the system possesses. Well I am here to tell you that you possess more power than you realize. And systems need to support you in finding a way to empower you to own and thrive in your mind, body, spirit, soul and emotions.

Help support you to own your power, instead of using you to support their “systems” through extraction. Systems need to learn how to think in non-linear,  layered, multi-dimensional thinking and relational geometry, if they really are interested. Interested in supporting, not extracting, those individuals whom they are charged to care for which they are being paid.

My Encouragement to Individuals Reading this Article

Please understand that you have more power and ability than you may be led to believe. Ask the questions. Is the “system” — medical, vocational and artificial intelligence — helping me to have. Have greater autonomy to experience the freedom to be myself, to flourish in my identity and purpose and to experience what is in my power to control. If not realize it is up to you.

Up to you to plot a course to experience your autonomy (independence), your identity and purpose and experience your power. Your independence to explore ways to use your gifts, talents and abilities in ways that work for you. Understand that your identity is not your traumatic or acquired brain injury and that you have the power to chose how to live your purpose.

You have More Power than you Realize — it is in your Blood

You do not have to wait to have any system define your life for you. You, with the help, leading and guidance of a loving God can discover how to experience independence, identify and the ability to use the power of choice. The power of choice to discover how to use your power to create dreams and possibilities. How to use your being to be of service in all your affairs.

Related Reading for the Context of this Article

These 5 articles give more insight into the process and journey that I experienced after being led to believe my life was useless.

• Second Chance to Live Autobiography in Bullet Points
• Healing What Others Can’t See: A Deeper Path to Recovery
• Back Story of Second Chance to Live — Part 1 of the Process
• Back Story of Second Chance to Live — Part 2 of the Process
• Answering the Call: The History and Mission of Second Chance to Live
• Reclaiming Our Life after a Traumatic or Acquired Brain Injury