The World Was Created for You!
“Everyone must have two pockets, with a note in each pocket, so that he or she can
reach into one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling lowly and
depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket,
and, there, find the words: ‘The world was created for me.’
But when feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find
the words: ‘I am but dust and ashes.’”—Rabbi Simcha Bunim
Why would an African American, Christian man begin a blog series by
sharing a teaching from a 19th century Polish Rabbinic scholar? Because
it holds universal truths. Because it holds truths, I identify with. Imagine
being eight years old, living in one of the most economically deprived
areas of the country and waking up to find your mother, the only parent
you know, lying dead on the couch from a drug overdose. Depressed,
discouraged, disconsolate? Absolutely. But something in that moment,
something in the years I spent in foster care until I aged out at 21, gave
me the faith and the hope that indeed, the world was created for me, too.
I went on to earn advanced degrees in social work, business and
theology, and for the first 20 years of my career I worked in faith-based
and other non-profit organizations. I wanted to change lives. I wanted
the charitable sector to fix all the inequities—in housing, in health care,
in education—that are rooted in income disparity. High and mighty?
Maybe.
Those 20 years of trying to improve the lives of others and the humility
to know I was not making transformational change led to what is hard to
describe. At the time, I was the CEO of the United Way of Greater St.
Louis, hosting a meeting of the Board of Directors of Midwest
BankCentre. With my hands in both pockets, I listened to men and
women talk about how they wanted to take the bank to the next level,
about a succession plan for the bank’s CEO, a beloved leader, and a
robust discussion about culture.
I was the last speaker. In the midst of my presentation, after having
listened to the board wrestle with where the bank was and where we
wanted it to go, I literally had an out-of-body experience. It was short of
crazy to think I could make this kind of a switch, but I couldn’t shake
what I had heard in the two major presentations that preceded mine. I
have heard some articulate the notion that sometimes you get lucky. I
don’t believe in luck, I believe in divinely orchestrated connections.
During my presentation, I also felt like I connected with a number of
board members including the gentleman whose job I would soon be
offered. During the reception at the conclusion of the board meeting, the
Chairman and CEO and I had a conversation about the meeting. I asked
him what he wanted in a replacement and without hesitation, he asked if
I would be interested in his job. I don’t think I expected that question
and I don’t think I missed a breath to tell him “yes,” I am interested.
That’s how I became The Accidental Banker.
So why do I tell you all this? Because I believe we are all accidental
somethings. We often fall short of living our best lives because we fail
to challenge ourselves to stretch personally and professionally, and to
dare others to do the same. If I can use my journey as a way to inspire
others to do the impossible, it would be my highest calling. Through this
blog, I will share insight to navigate finance, community and the faith to
believe that the world was created for you, too.
I look forward to traveling together.