One of my favorite scenes of scripture is situated in Luke 15:11-32. In that passage, Jesus tells a story about a young man who makes a series of bad choices, and eventually finds himself sitting in a pigpen. But in that terrible place, the young man makes a terrific decision. Although the young man had lost just about everything, he finally realizes that he has not lost what Stephen Covey in his masterpiece The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People contends are the three greatest human endowments. Despite his failures, frustrations, and fears, the young man realizes that he has not lost his conscience, his imagination, or his will. So in Luke 15:18, he says to himself:

I will arise and go to my Father….

I will. I doubt if there are two words that are more powerful.

I will. I doubt if there are two words that have altered the course of more lives and nations.

I will. I doubt if there are two words that have changed the trajectory of more destinies.

In the summer of 1996, I volunteered to work the summer convention of the National Urban League. I had spent the previous two years working as a program manager at the local Boston affiliate, and wanted to get some experience on the national level. I was eagerly welcomed to the team, as the behind the scenes preparation for the largest annual event on the organization's calendar was filled with unglamorous and thankless tasks.

Chief among these thankless and unglamorous tasks were the travel, hotel, and transportation arrangements for the various speakers. However, I endured all of those minor distractions and inconveniences because my real objective was to spend time with some of the guests. One of my mentors taught me that there is nothing wrong with carrying bags, it just depends on whose bag you carry. So I looked forward to the event, because I got to greet the guests at the airport, ride with them to the hotel, and serve as their liaison during the conference.

That year, one of the keynote speakers was Maynard Jackson, the former Mayor of Atlanta, who had achieved national prominence for spearheading the construction of the Atlanta airport, which is one of the biggest airport in the world. I was excited to spend some time with him because we had attended the same college, and I was interested in asking him a few questions about politics, investment banking, and the history of the civil rights movement.

But even though I had a list of questions to ask him, I never got around asking them because I was so inspired by a single line of his speech. I still don't remember what his speech was about. But toward the end, he pumped his massive fist in the air and thundered "each well born soul must win what it deserves." Those words tocuhed me deeply. When the speech was over, and we were headed back to the airpot, I asked him where those words came from. He told me that they were derived from a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.

Ever since that day, that poem has become my persona motto and part of my mental furntiure. Here is the full poem, which is called "Will"

There is no circumstance, no fate, no goal that can circumvent, hinder, or control the firm resolve of a determined soul. Gifts count for nothing. Will alone is great. All things fall before it soon or late.

What obstacle can turn away the ocean seeking river in its course, or cause the ascending orb of day to wait? Let the fool prate of fool prate of luck. The earnest is he who purpose never swerves from the one great aim.

Why, even death will stand still and wait an hour for such a Will.

Regardless of where you are, what you have, or what you feel, do not allow the enemy to convince you that all is lost. Nothing and no one can take from you the three greatest human endowments.

No one can take your conscience.

No one can take your imagination.

And no one can take your will.