Living Life Fully!
Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. Howard Thurman
This quote from the poet and theologian, Howard Thurman, is so moving to me that I have memorized it. I think it is important to regularly ask ourselves the question, “What makes me come alive?” Recently, I received a phone call from a friend who is confused about what he wants he wants to do vocationally. I’ve spoken to a lot of people who feel unfulfilled in their jobs and with life. When I am speaking to someone who lacks clarity about their next steps on their life course, I often turn Howard Thurman’s wise words into a question. I say something like, “If money was not a consideration and you could go out and do what makes you feel most alive and brings you the greatest joy what would you do?” The Quaker theologian, Parker Palmer, says vocation begins when we experience “the rapture of being alive.” Both Howard Thurman and Parker Palmer encourage us to go and do something that makes our spirits feel alive. Living fully doesn’t just have to do with our vocational choices. You may already be retired or out of work. But no matter our age or stage in life, we have the choice to live each day fully as possible. We must find the things that bring us joy and to go and do them.
I have a yoga teacher who will often ask the question, “Why are you here?” And then she will add something like, “Why are you here on this yoga mat? Why are you here on this earth?” Can you take a moment to stop right now and ask yourself the following questions?
- Why am I here on this earth?
- If I could pick any job what would it be?
- What hobbies are life-giving to my soul?
- What makes me come alive?
- What talents and gifts do I have to offer the world?
Oscar Wilde once said, “Get out there and live! To live in the rarest thing in the world. Most people just exist.” I believe each person reading this blog has unique gifts and graces to offer others. If you feel like you are just existing, please continue to seek and answer the question, “What makes me come alive?” And once you answer this question please go and do this because we truly need people in the world who have come fully alive! The early Catholic saint, Irenaeus, said, “The Glory of God is the human person fully alive.” I encourage you to keep discerning what makes you come alive.
May you live life to the fullest,
Christy
