WHAT SITS AT THE CORE OF YOU?

“We try to live in such a way that…” 

“In everything we do, we show that…” 

Those were the statements I read. And yeah, they had words that followed them. But after I read the rest of the paragraph, those two phrases had me going back to them. They got me thinking.

First, I thought about the person who wrote them. How did he live? What did he show in how he lived? What was at the top of his list that he wanted to demonstrate about his life as he lived it out with (or in front of) other people? And was he believable? Did he end up accomplishing it?

Then the obvious, and inevitable, question came to me. If I wrote those two statements about me and my life, what words would follow them? What would be at the top of my list? What do I want to demonstrate as I live with (or in front of) other people? And would I be believable?

It’s sort of a “mission statement” kind of question, don’t you think? It’s sort of a “what sits at the core of who you are and what you want to do” kind of question. (And, by the way, I’m not suggesting you need to have some sort of “mission statement” for your life. I’m not suggesting you know exactly what “sits at the core of you” so you can be a better person. Honestly, you might answer one way today, and another way next year.)

But out of curiosity, I visited with some older folks about these two statements this morning. And I asked them how they’d finish the sentences. Their answers were interesting:

“I try to live in such a way…to be happy.”

“In everything I do, I…want to be positive.”

Good, honest answers.

But is there more? Maybe. Should life go on past “happy”? Perhaps. Should we be about something deeper than “positive”? Possibly. But do we ever really know how we’d fill in the blank?

I gave my answer to my friends this morning. I finished the statement, “I try to live in such a way that…” Then I shared with them what for me personally comes after the statement, “In everything I do, I…”

What about you? How would you fill in the blanks?

You try to live in such a way that… _____________________________________________________________.

In everything you do, you… _____________________________________________________________.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. I’d love to know what you believe sits at the core of you as you ponder the answers to this question. I’d love to generate some discussion. Would you consider leaving a reply?  If I don’t get any, that’s okay. But be prepared, I just might ask you in person.