Our Calling
“Our
deepest calling is to grow into our authentic self-hood, whether or
not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be. As we do so, we
will not only find the joy that every human being seeks—we will
also find our path to authentic service in the world.”
Parker J.
Palmer (Let Your Life Speak)
There's a lot of
depression among young people these days. The generation of children
who were told “you can be anything you want to be” is finding out
that reality does not always match that ideal. And so they are
entering their thirties believing that somehow they've missed the
boat—that they have some fatal flaw that is keeping them from
reaching their potential, from getting to where they “ought” to
be. It was a mistaken message on the part of the parents—myself
included. We gave our children the impression that all they had to do
was grow up, do well in school, and the opportunities of life would
magically fall into their laps. We were wrong.
Our real and only job on
this planet, is to figure out who we are and what we can do that is
an authentic expression of our Self. It's true that we have to earn a
living, and not everything we love to do it going to support us. But,
being a healthy, well-adjusted person is a long step toward success
in any field of endeavor. Placing unrealistic expectations on
oneself, and then turning the screws to tighten that down is not a
helpful way to get to personal success. Suppose you thought you'd be
a doctor, an astronaut, a world travel journalist, and now you're
thirty and have accomplished none of those. Two questions—are you
looking at yourself in terms of your true interests and abilities, or
are you looking through the eyes of the parents who gave you that
mistaken message? What are your greatest strengths? Start with those.
Reality is what we make
it. If we go through life feeling like a failure because we did not
live up to our parents' dreams for us, it will be difficult to
succeed at anything. If we discover what turns us on, what really
lights us up, and match that strength with our vocation, there is
every hope of success. What truly matters is that whatever you do is
an authentic expression of your soul.
In the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment