Day 35: Meaning…

…like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

If you are becoming BTL, you know it’s also in the eye of the believer — a thing of beauty to behold. Take a red pill and go deeper with me down the rabbit-hole to see why:

Q. When you find yourself going through the motions in work or life, why is that?

A. “I can’t keep my focus on what I’m doing.”

Q. Tell me more…why can’t you focus?

A. “I guess I’ve lost vision for what I’m doing.”

Q. Let’s keep going…why have you lost vision?

A. ***sigh** “I guess it’s because my heart’s not in it.”

Q. I think you’re onto something…why isn’t your heart in it?

A. ***heavy sigh*** “I guess I just don’t BELIEVE in it anymore!!

Q. I think you’re almost there…why don’t you believe in it anymore?

A. ***heavier sigh*** “I guess there’s just no MEANING in it!.”

If you are having an MOT right now, you can ignore it and die the slow death of drudgery and chronic pain. Or, you can embrace it as a Day 35 awakening, choose acute pain and sit in it and write (thanks, Centerfield). How are you feeling right now? Is this how you want to feel? How long have you sensed you’ve been trying to slug your way along just going through the motions? Do you know why? Fear? Pride? Money? To please someone else? Is it because you can’t see any other option? As Dr. Phil would ask, how well is this working for you? Are you ready to make a deep change? What gives life meaning for you? What’s been in the way? What needs to go?

Here’s some good news — there’s hope. To see why, re-read Chet’s Builder’s Journey and then re-read Kiesha’s. And then, go ahead and read all the Builder’s Journeys. The melody line of them all is a before and after story. In between there is an MOT and an awakening to choose a new trajectory. It begins with building your CORE and a life rooted in meaning. Where there is meaning, there is hope.

We saw this first-hand at our Friday Band practice this morning. With many tears we’d invited a former builder to join us. He’d just suffered the sudden loss of his 27-year-old son only 10 days ago and needed some much-needed TLC. Words can’t describe what he gave us. He thanked BTL for becoming the CORE foundation which years ago helped him discover a life of meaning — which was now the one ‘L of a difference seeing him through this. And because his son had lived his short life full of meaning and purpose, there were no other regrets, knowing he’ll see Danny again.

Because the one ‘L of a difference overcomes. We can see it in your eyes.

We love you, Sully.