In our culture, we are most often judged by our accomplishments. People make their assessment of us based on what we’ve done, what we’ve built, what we’ve led, where we have been, the titles we’ve worn and the awards we’ve been honored with. But the truth is, on the inside, we continually ask ourselves, Am I content with who I am becoming?” Am I pleased with the direction I’m heading?
Have you ever seen a Pine Beetle clinging to the bark of a tree and you approach it and it doesn’t move? And if you touch it, it is actually just a shell still attached to the tree. The insides are completely dried up and evaporated.
I’ve met some people whose lives have evaporated. They have become a walking, hollow shell. Their living has used up their life. They are totally empty and void of any meaning and significance. Oh, they still go through the motions but there is no joy, no purpose and no vision for the future.
It seems to me that a life that has focused only on success results in a life with little significance. The stress of obtaining success at all costs drains all energy reserves—physical, emotional and spiritual. And usually, the person doesn’t like what he or she is becoming. They hate the emptiness. They despise the charades, the smokescreen, the facade, the pretense, the veneer. Everyone around them hears a hollow echo where a resonant vibrant voice should be. And inside, they dislike what they are becoming.
Today, take some time to reflect:
How content are you with who you are becoming?
What are you doing to prevent hollowness?
What are you doing to regularly recharge your body, your mind, your soul and your heart?
Stay tuned. I have some suggestions.
QUESTION: What are the things that drain you? Please share them in the Comment section.
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