Depth,+Breadth,+Duration

 **From:** < __shyam.solanki@HydroOne.com__ >  **Date:** Wed, 11 May 2011 23:10:14 -0400  **To:** Usha James < __usha.james@utoronto.ca__ >  **Conversation:**  **Subject:** RE:

Here’s what I have so far….and I’ll cut you royalty cheques if I must, but I’m turning this principle into a story of three characters. The first is a tireless mousy character, duration. The second is patient and warm, depth. The third is a showman, breadth. Each is unhappy until they meet in some circumstance and teach each other their craft. They return to normal life changed and happy, and the world is a better place for it. The world is a better place because of you Usha. Fundamentally, I've had an identity crisis since high school. What legacy do I want to leave on this planet, or better yet, with this lifetime? In the history of time, I'm here for a blink of an eye, and I want that blink to count. We all do. I don't think there's any self respecting person who is happy just going to work, going home, living in isolation or solitude. We all want to leave something behind. That's why you and I are so proud of being great parents. Our kids are an obvious legacy, but we also search for more. I know that when we’ve talked about work in the past, you have a lot to be proud of, it matters to you (it does to me as well). So work is another legacy, our "name" means something. I suppose that what drives folks like Hitesh. Okay, so we have kids, we have reputation, but what about teachers and health care professionals? Certainly a lot has to do with compensation, but a lot of these people enjoy work that directly benefits the life of another, one person at a time. Kids, reputation, service. What about clergy? Guidance. There are endless sources of activity people nurture that produce personal satisfaction. I have kids, reputation, offer service to fellow man, guidance to those I can help, what the hell was I missing? Why do I feel incomplete? What compels me to keep thinking about teaching? The obvious answer there is a Telecom sales guy doesn’t really impact people with his work. Sure, I have an affect, to some degree, on the people I work with, and my customer contacts, but something there doesn’t seem fulfilling. Okay smart guy, teach something on your spare time, coach little league blah blah blah. I’ve tried for a long time to make a difference in this world and I see the results. Amazing relationships, family and friends. Okay, so is it persistence? Is it keep hammering away at the block of emotions, just chipping away at little fragments of unnessecary grief until all I have is a sculpture of happiness? Well, I’ve been trying. The fact that I’m still searching is proof that I haven’t quit. Good. [Duration] I’ve think I also offer substance. There’s some strong kung-fu here, if I do say so myself. Look, my teachers have been saying this about me since kindergarten, “Shyam would do so much better if he applied himselfblah blah blah.” I went to the other side of this planet simply to search for answers to bring back to my friends and family. Most importantly, you, many times, have said, “If you see in yourself what I see”, or “this world needs more of Shyamblah blah blah.” Thank you for the kind words. I know I can have a deep and meaningful impact on the relationships I foster and that is so satisfying [depth], it makes me….wait for it…..ready?.......happy. So I can do it. I have the shot in me, the perfect drive down the lush fairway. I’ve done it. I’ve felt the gratification of a well struck ball. In that moment, I had a deep and meaningful impact on that experience. Is this what draws golfers back? The chance that we can find a handful of great shots in an otherwise string of frustration and misery? That’s what drives me to keep searching for that missing swing. I know what the finished game is supposed to look like, but I have a glitch in my follow through. Yes, I could, and do, put up a sting of bogeys, but I see the missed putts and sand traps getting there. I can’t celebrate the string of great shots, ‘cause there aren’t any. We don’t see complexion if there’s a freckle or wart. Scoring a bogey, you don’t see the beautiful drive, you see the topped five iron. I want the perfect round. I want a string of success, I want the breadth of success, driver, fairway wood, low, mid, high irons, wedges, putts, I want it all. Hold the phone, I want [breadth] of success. That’s the compelling draw to teaching! They have an impact on lots of individuals, year after year. Those individuals are forced to come to me! I can have meaningful impact [depth], to as many kids as they can fit into a classroom [breadth], year after year [duration], as long as I want to teach. Brilliant! I’ve had //duration// of impact, I’ve had //depth// of impact, I have not, aside from highschool, had //breadth// of impact. That’s what my soul wants. Take this gift and give to as many people as will have it. Looking at the archives of history, the most influential people have had major strength, balance really, in all areas. Politician, artists, religion, science…depth, breadth, duration. And so the journey continues…