I have a powerful true story of The Christmas Truce to share from World War I. The story serves as a wonderful reminder that we all have the ability to call a truce and enjoy a moment of peace. This is a great way to bring closure to the past year and create space and energy for expanded possibilities in the new year. In my case, I will make the effort to call a truce between my heart and my head and cultivate peace within.

Part I: True Historical Account of the Christmas Truce

You are standing up to your knees in the slime of a waterlogged trench. It is the evening of 24 December 1914 and you are on the dreaded Western Front.

All is quiet when jovial voices call out from both friendly and enemy trenches. Then the men from both sides start singing carols and songs. Next come requests not to fire, and soon the unthinkable happens: you start to see the shadowy shapes of soldiers gathering together in no-man's land laughing, joking and sharing gifts.

Plucking up your courage, you haul yourself up and out of the trench and walk towards the foe...

A friend recently told me this wonderful story and I am excited to share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy the story and my words about gratitude that follow.

Part I: The Story

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

"Not very long," answered the Mexican.

"But then, why didn't you stay out longer and catch more?" asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

"I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life."

The American interrupted, "I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat."

"And after that?" asked the Mexican.

I went on my first solo backpacking trip this summer into the High Sierras. I spent four days and three nights at 8,000 ft with myself, the wilderness, and the fears that I brought with me. It was a meaningful trip on many levels and an excellent education on the subject of fear.

It baffles me that we spend decades learning everything about nothing but learn nothing about our most basic human experiences. This blog is an insufficient attempt at investigating our relationship to fear. It's a start, but the only real education is possible from each of us consciously experiencing our fears.

I've recently been through a particularly challenging time in my life. And I am still moving through it. Above all else, I discovered the value of "being with" everything that I experienced - the happiness and sadness and everything in between.

People who know me well, know that in the past I have sometimes overlooked and failed to acknowledge my true feelings. We're all guilty of it; I just happen to be calling myself on it in a very public way. But it really is true for all of us to some degree. We all have times where we shut down, retreat, or avoid (consciously and unconsciously) the hardest and most painful feelings, emotions, and experiences. This entry is about the practice of "being with".

I believe that we all have a path that fits who we are and what we want. We also have a unique way of living and being on our path that optimizes our potential and effectiveness. It's not just what we do but also how we do it. Finding this path and living it allows each of us to express our natural gifts and create unparalleled value for ourselves and others.

Unfortunately there is rarely support for the process of finding your path. School stresses academic prowess over self-knowledge and personal development. It's seemingly more important to get a successful job than a job you love. Society gives us the message that if we are cool and successful, we will be happy.