The shadow showed up first. Yes that is my true shadow in the ally on the backside of the Sacred Heart Church off of Saratoga Street in Ocean Beach kind of freaked me out – and made me think here is my narrative of what was taking place as a follow to my Appointed “SirDom.”
Walking down an alley in Ocean Beach on the way to Mass, the light hit at just the right angle and suddenly my shadow stretched halfway down the block. It was taller, longer, almost comically large – and yet completely accurate. No matter how I moved, sped up, slowed down, shifted my shoulders or changed my stride, that elongated silhouette stayed locked to me. The shape might distort, but the core connection never broke. It was an unshakable reminder: you can’t outrun who you’re becoming.
That morning, the word that’s been following me around lately – “Sir” – met that long shadow in the concrete. And together they asked a new question: is this next period of life just about being kinder and more helpful, or is it also a call to a humble boldness?
I’ve always loved how biblical characters carry both strength and humility at the same time. They are willing to confront kings, cross seas, face lions, and yet they bow low, tear their clothes, wash feet. They understand that courage and humility are not opposites; they are twins. True humility doesn’t make you smaller than you are – it simply keeps you honest about where the strength comes from and who the story is really about.
That alley shadow pushed me into that tension. The GPPA framework – Guide, Promote, Protect, Applaud – gave me a way to think about “SirDom” as service: make the day about others, build the ecosystem, lift people up. But the shadow asked an uncomfortable follow‑up: Am I only being gentle, or am I also being brave?
Guiding sometimes means having the hard conversation no one else wants to have, telling someone the truth they’d rather not hear because you care more about their future than their short‑term comfort. Promoting sometimes means staking your name and credibility on a person or idea before the rest of the room can see it. Protecting sometimes means stepping in between someone you’re responsible for and the unfair deal, the toxic influence, the quiet injustice. Applauding sometimes means publicly naming the good in someone when others might roll their eyes.
None of that is passive. All of it requires boldness.
The shadow on the pavement wouldn’t let me forget that. As I walked, I realized “SirDom” is not just about being available, kind, and steady. It is about standing taller – not in ego, but in responsibility. It’s about being willing to be seen taking a stand for the people you guide, promote, protect, and applaud, while keeping your heart low and your hands open.
Humble boldness in “SirDom” looks like this: you step forward, but you don’t make it about you. You speak clearly, but you listen first. You use your strength, but you give away the credit. And when the light hits you just right and your shadow stretches out ahead, you let it remind you that your influence is reaching farther than you know – so you’d better walk in a way that earns it.
