I used to make my high school students watch the movie “Holes” in class each year.  

It was one of the only ‘legal’ PG movies we could show back then that didn’t require a permission slip. But that’s not why I had them watch it. 

It starred a high-school-aged up-and-comer named Shia LaBeouf and a very talented cast. But that’s not why I had them watch it. 

It was actually a movie my students didn’t complain about watching. But that’s not why I had them watch it, either. 

I had them watch it because of a scene about a fourth of the way in (If you haven’t watched it in a while, or, GASP!, don’t know what I’m talking about, stick with me anyway):

Long, long ago, a young man named Elya was trying to win the hand of a very young woman named Myra by presenting her father with a pig fatter than another, much older, suitor’s pig.  

He goes to see a wise old Egyptian woman, Madame Zeroni, who lives on the edge of town. 

After she gives him really valid reasons why not to marry Myra she agrees to help him.

She gives Elya a little tiny piglet. 

Among other things, Madame Zeroni tells Elya to carry the piglet every day to the top of a certain mountain and to let it drink from a certain stream.

“On the day of Myra’s fifteenth birthday, you should carry the pig up the mountain for the last time. Then take it directly to Myra’s father. It will be fatter than (the other) pig.”

“If it is big and fat,” asked Elya, “how will I be able to carry it up the mountain?”

“The piglet is not too heavy for you now, is it?” asked Madame Zeroni.

“Of course not,” said Elya. 

“Do you think it will be too heavy for you tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Every day you will carry the pig up the mountain.  It will get a little bigger, but YOU will get a little stronger.”

IT WILL GET BIGGER BUT YOU WILL GET STRONGER. 

What Madame Zeroni was trying to teach Elya, and what I was trying to teach my students, was about building our capacity.  

Capacity can be defined as actual or potential ability to perform, produce, or utilize; and the power or potential power to treat, experience, or appreciate.

Perform, produce, utilize, treat, experience, appreciate. 

Robert Grazer says there are four types of capacity:

• Spiritual Capacity builds on who you are and what you want most. 
• Intellectual Capacity builds on your ability to think, learn, plan, and execute.
• Physical Capacity builds on your health and physical performance.
• Emotional Capacity builds on your reactions to challenging situations and people, and the quality of your relationships. 

Madame Zeroni might not ask you to carry a pig up a mountain, but my guess is that your capacity is aching or asking to be increased in one of those four areas. 

Do you need to increase your ability to perform in some way, produce in some way, or utilize something?

Do you need to increase your power to treat a certain situation, endure an experience, or appreciate a process?

I can’t wait to hear about the ways you are building your capacity.  And if you need help figuring out how to carry that piglet up the mountain, I would love to be your Madame Zeroni.