I've just had the good fortune to spend time with an inspiring man. You may have heard him speak on the radio, or been in one of his audiences. His name is Eric McCrum. He speaks about Australia's natural history with an excitement and passion which is attention grabbing, unforgettable and inspiring. So much so that he transforms people's lives. He's made a big impact on mine and he's left me wondering what is my passion? What is my purpose? And what impact would I most like to have on other people's lives? I hope by the end of this you'll be asking yourself the same questions.
Let me go back a bit in time. I emigrated to Australia some 23 years ago and arrived not knowing people here, not understanding the country and absolutely in the dark about the Australian land and its environment. Very early on I came across an advertisement in a local library for a natural history course run by one of the local colleges called, "Enjoying the Australian bush." My husband and I figured we might learn something and enrolled. Little did we know how big an impact it would make in our lives.
There in this scruffy college room was a man in his 40's, tall, blond, athletic and broad. He grinned a lot. He spoke with enthusiasm, energy and an effervescence about natural history. Whether it was a type of wattle, a fascinating creepy crawly (and he made all creepy crawlies seem fascinating!) or a beautiful parrot - he brought their lives alive to us. He weaved a magical web of mystery, wonder and amazement around everything he talked about. The room was a buzz with energy. We too became fascinated. No longer was the bush a dry barren boring place. No longer were the creatures around our gardens just to be disposed of. No longer did we ignore the birds that flew overhead. No! Instead we became mesmerized by the intricate textures of their bodies, by the beauty of their colours, by the amazing methods they used to reproduce. (Do you know for example that the hammer orchid has one part of its plant look and smell like the female of a certain wasp species? The male wasp tries to mate with this part of the plant and hits the back of his head with pollen from the flower thereby moving the pollen from one plant to another. Do you even know we have a hammer orchid?)
So what you might say? Well, if you've ever watched nature programmes on the TV we were learning that we could make our own for real! Also this man was doing what he really believed was important. I wonder whether you and I have such clear vision? Are you doing what matters? Are you touching people's lives or are you just in survival look-after-myself mode?
Eric's story isn't finished yet. He inspired us so much and other members of this class that we learnt more and more. We started appreciating the beauty of Australia. We started going on trips into forests, sandy plains and heathlands. We spent time in the outback. We learnt to love Australia and not the Australian cities but the landscape, the animals, the flora ...
How many of us have ever taken the time to get to know our own countries? So often we visit other countries before we know our own. When we go away - our friends say things such as, "Gosh where's that? I've never been north of Perth." People will go to Bali on holiday without ever having seen the magnificent Karijini Gorges. They'll go to France without having heard the dawn chorus in the Carnarvon Ranges. They'll go shopping in Hong Kong without knowing the beauty of the Karri trees in the Warren River National Park. How do you know the grass is greener on the other side when you've not even tasted the grass at home?
Eric is still inspiring people. Now 23 years later he's retired. I asked him how retirement was? "Frantic", he said. He's still running his classes. He's still on the radio. He's still talking to groups. He's still leading city folk on expeditions in the bush - and he's still taking people like us to the outback with him. When I asked him how his book was coming along, he said, "Oh I can reach more people through my talks and help them realise how wonderful this land is." How's that for clarity of purpose?
On our last camp with him, near Mt Magnet (ever been there?) a group of us sat round the camp fire at night, and started discussing how we all came together and joined in this camp. I said, "Oh we met Eric 23 years ago and joined the National History club because he was so inspiring and we loved learning from him." Then another person said, "I'm here because of Eric too. There was a two hour nature walk organised by the Department of Conservation and I went on it and he was leading it - and so I came on this camp." Then two other people said, "We're here because Eric came and gave a talk to our club and he was so good we wanted to know more so we came on this trip." And on went the similar stories. And were we all happy? Absolutely. The natural world entertained and enthralled us for five whole days. There was no time for boredom.
One man with a clear purpose and passion can have such a positive, valuable impact. One person can make a difference. Can you also make a difference to people's lives? What are you and I doing with our lives to contribute to other people's happiness? Do you inspire people to do something better with their lives? Do you know what your purpose is? Write and tell me.
Eric's left me wondering about my life and my contribution and I've realised I'm not as clear as he is. Do I want to help people have happier relationships? To be more tolerant? To like themselves better? To be kinder to themselves and others? I'm not so sure ... What I do know is that now I've seen how clear Eric is with his purpose I want to be that clear too. Do you?
If you're not sure what your direction of life is, or how to find meaning in your life and you are aged between 40 - 60 come along to our Midlife Retreat to refresh and rejuvenate yourself and to boost your positive sense of purpose. The cost is $247.50. This includes GST, dinner Fri/Sat; breakfast Sat/Sun; lunch Sat/Sun; plus your own private accommodation, plus all presentations, handouts and give aways ... a bargain! Rachel and Jon are giving their time free of charge - all proceeds go to Lifeline. The venue is in Safety Bay. Last years retreat was a wonderful success and people found it life changing and life affirming.
If you're not sure what your purpose is, or whether you are in the right career, you may well find answers by knowing about your Myers Briggs personality type. Our course "Ironing out your differences", includes a personal analysis of your Myers Briggs Type (MBTI), and a wealth of information on it. You'll be able to access insights on your type under stress, your type and careers, your type at Midlife, your type and the spiritual journey, your type in relationships and more. Knowing my MBTI completely changed my life, it helps me to know my direction, and I live my type knowledge daily. Come and find out more about your type at our next course. Both Jon Doust and I are running it together (so you'll be doing a lot of laughing as well as learning).
Bookings can be made direct through the website:
E-mail:
Phone: (+61 8) 9390 1188 or Fax: (+61 8) 9390 1199
Final Comment
Eric doesn't keep his passion in a box only to be brought out at certain times. He lives his passion so it rubs off on everyone he meets.
For example, as we sat around the campfire, someone who wasn't in our group but knew we were "into natural history" came up to Eric and squeamishly gave him a plastic bag with something wriggling inside it. Her 4 year old daughter was at her side looking very doubtful. With enthusiasm Eric said, "What have you got there? How wonderful a 46 legged centipede..." and off he went exclaiming what a wonderful creature it was until finally the little girl realised she'd be able to tell everyone at Kindy what she'd found. As she went away she was heard to say, "Mummy do you know that centipede had 46 legs?" How many of us would have seen it as something horrible and to be disposed of?
The next day we popped into a roadhouse on the way back from a trip. Eric beamed at the person serving and exchanged a warm greeting. Asked by the assistant if he was having a good holiday, he said, "Oh yes we're having a marvellous time, we've just seen the most beautiful owlet nightjar"... and he proceeded to describe this gorgeous bird to her. Never having heard of one and never having cared about birds before - he left a seed of possible passion in her mind.
Thank you Eric for your inspiration.
What seeds of inspiration do you leave behind in the minds of the people you meet?
Rachel
