Life's Negotiations

Over the weekend, the New York Times had a story about Jill Bolte Taylor, a neuroscientist whose stroke changed her perception of the world and her place in it.

Her theory is that most English-speakers are controlled by the left lobe, where language is processed and the source of our logic, judgement and context, over the right lobe, in charge of creativity and empathy. Her stroke rendered her left lobe temporarily incapacitated, so she could experience euphoria - the atoms in her body being connected to the air and living beings around her and the freedom of her spirit moving beyond her body.

While this sounds like a spiritual out-of-body experience, because Dr. Taylor is a neuroscientist her story adds a level of credibility especially useful for non-believers. She can explain what happened metaphorically, physically and scientifically.

Ever feel like an impostor? That all of your achievements were just luck, and any moment people will find out that you're not as smart as they think you are? Dr. Valerie Young calls it The Impostor Syndrome.

She hits on an important point. Behind the fear of being found out (and all fear) is a limited and limiting belief that hijacks your self-confidence.

As adults, we have pretty good holds on our fear. I imagine mine are hiding in deep, dark places in the recesses of my mind. Yes, they exist. No, I don't want to think about them.

At the Tribeca Film Festival last night I saw its Audience Award Winner, War Child, a documentary about Emmanuel Jal who grew up a child soldier in Sudan and is now a world-renowned rapper.

I know, funny and amazing. He is, as are the filmmakers who brought him to our attention.

I'd been carefully avoiding Darfur. I guess because I feel helpless about it. How much can I do, except feel bad about it? Well, I had no choice but look the situation there and my fear in the eye last night and it was about time.