19th century American Poet,lecturer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
It's in you. The past the present and the future is in you. All that you were, all that you currently are and all you can ever dream of becoming is all within you.
The fading echoes of the past; the thrilling inspirations of this present time which you now experience and the aspirations and hopes of the future are right within you.
The gifts, talents that you need are already within you. The opportunities you seek are right within you.
I will draw some wisdom from a story told by Russell H. Conwell in his famous book Acres of Diamond. Hali Afed stayed on a very big farm in Philadelphia, it was a farm with lush fields, fresh green vegetations and a little crystal clear stream flowing in his backyard. Hali Afhed bustling with health and vitality was happy and contented. He was happy because he was contented and he was contented because he was happy. But one day Ali's close friend came and told him about some rocks found in a distant land; it was a rock hard and sparkling, a piece of which could make any man rich for life. so Ali thought so much about this rocks with the fact that he needed to go and get one for himself, that night Ali went to bed a poor and discontented man; he was poor because he was discontented and discontented because he was poor.
Long story short. Ali sold his big farm and travelled far not minding the harsh weather in pursuit of this shiny precious rocks called diamonds. He spent all. He found nothing.As he lay sick, miserable and expecting nothing but death under the dark skies on a cold night, he heard the travellers discuss what happened at Ali Hafed's farm in Philadelphia,One sunny morning the servant of the new owner brought in some shiny looking rocks they found while the donkeys drank from the stream. And this new owner had put them on his study table until a priest who lived nearby saw them and spotted them for what they were the- rarest diamonds anyone can find,
And this back yard became the biggest diamond mines in the States. This story illustrates the fact that All you have always wanted is within you.
The very substance through which all things are made is in you.
You have probably heard of the 7 wonders of the world but I am sure you might not know until now that you, my dear friend; that you, yes you are the eight wonder of the world. Because the vast shining potentials and talents in the world, the books not yet written, the songs uncomposed,the greatest speech yet to be delivered, the world's newest invention the greatest diamond Mines in the world lies right within you. There is greatness within you, and I celebrate your greatness today!
Thank you!
The Toastmaster!
Emmanuel Ayeni
Life coach, Engineer and Entrepreneur
www.emmanuelayeni.com
(This was my Speech project 4, delivered on Thursday 11th June at Merit Toastmaster, Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria. Wacth the video on YouTube IT'S IN YOU: http://youtu.be/TtSogK54Rc8