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What’s the one thing no one can take from you?
By John DeVries | February 10, 2008
In a moments notice everything you have and hold close can be stripped away. One fundamental premise of Buddhism is that all things in life are transient and temporary in nature. I can’t really disagree with this assertion. Logically, I know my body, my possessions and even my relationships will all one day be gone. You simply cannot hold onto these things forever. Whether you appreciate Buddhist principals or not (I’m not a Buddhist), the fact remains that your life and everything in it is temporary.
In a split second, any number of life altering events can incapacitate you, destroy what you own, take away a loved one, or even kill you. Wow, depressing hu? Keep reading.
That’s rather disconcerting to a lot of people. In general, it seems we live our lives with the notion that all the things we’re obtaining over the course of our lives are somehow permanent; this couldn’t be further from the truth. Your house, career, friends, family, spouse, fun activities, health, and even your education will one day be gone.
So why pursue any of those things then? If nothing on earth lasts for more than a small fraction of time why bother acquiring or doing anything?
One thing does last
The truth is, there’s only one thing I can think of that no one can strip from you: The collective culmination of all that you’ve thought, said, and done.
In essence, who you’ve become.
Even in death, no person or incident can change who you were while you were alive. This, I believe, is one significant way to measure the success and worthiness of your life.
What then does your life amount to from this angle? What have you lived for? What have you stood for? What have you done that was significant? Who are you and what does that mean for humanity as a whole?
My initial reaction to these questions comes in two waves.
Humility
First, I am humbled and perhaps even a little embarrassed looking at my life from this angle. I truly spend each and every day trying to be a more loving, patient, and compassionate person. I do my best to make choices that are meaningful to me and also helpful to others. But, my capacity to do so is limited by my own personal growth. This is why I think self-improvement is so important.
Personal growth and development is about more than just making your life better. It gives you the tools not only to achieve your goals, but to better serve people, to live a more meaningful life, to contribute more broadly and significantly to the world, to better relate to others, and even to more deeply connect with God or your spirituality. Serving yourself in this way ultimately then is an unselfish act.
Motivation
Secondly however, I find looking at my life this way is also extremely motivating. Suddenly you have to make every second count because you’re really not sure when your last moments on earth will arrive. I’m not disappointed in who I am today, but I would be extremely disappointed to know that tomorrow will be my last and that I would never have the chance to become the best person I was capable of.
You have so much to offer the world. I’m sure of it. Don’t settle for mediocrity. Don’t arrive at the end of your days only to look back and find that your life was largely irresponsible and pointless. Sure, the things you do today may not affect the universe as a whole, but you do have the capacity to do great things. Even if it’s just for one person.
You can’t take anything you get here on earth with you anyway, so don’t spend the majority of your time acquiring stuff. Spend the majority of it investing in yourself, in other people and in the giving of your gifts. It’s not an easy mindset do adopt and it’s certainly counter-cultural. But you’re wise to consider how your life will look from where you think you’ll be when you’re near the end of your years.
Live each moment to the fullest, but give those moments a direction by having the end in sight.
Topics: Courage, Death, Life, Meaning, Purpose |