What’s that at your elbow?

I had the good fortune to hold a lengthy discussion with a neighbor recently who quoted this phrase by Marcus Aurelius:

“Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be good for something while you live and it is in your power.”

How does one make one’s life count?

Simple expressions of one’s values are sometimes overlooked. The privilege of being a grandmother, for example; and wind that back to the privilege of having two children, two daughters, raising them to be good citizens, good parents to their own children. Obvious and natural ways to ‘be good for something’.

Being good for something starts within

Fulfillment within the family structure may be sufficient for some, in that it brings joy, fulfillment and a deep sense of calm and peace for many. Yet, being good for that ‘something’ that one can do beyond the immediate family is often a yearning within.

Being good to one’s own self first is a prerequisite to expressing a ‘greater’ life purpose should one feel called to do something that reaches beyond the family.

Being good to self involves self care in all its nuances. Without a firm footing of self knowledge it is often difficult to choose an appropriate way of serving others that truly resonates with who one is. This is a journey, though, and learning who one is and giving expression to that person often evolves along life’s path.

How does one express that something that is beyond one’s immediate self or family?

Being good for something may well be expressed in what is called a greater sense of purpose, an act of service to others. The expression of that may change during one’s lifetime, as it has in mine.

– a position in the workplace, outside home such as

– a chosen profession;

– serving one’s country;

– being creative – sharing one’s wisdom through writing or the arts.

The list is endless, especially if looked upon as embracing any aspect of life.

From the harried days of all that my chosen profession of teaching involved, I now find that something in –

• Slowing down in life, sufficiently to smell the roses;
• Enjoying a child’s laughter in all its innocence;
• Being present in conversation with anyone I am talking with – that is, not being distracted by surrounding noise such as the chainsaw in the neighbour’s backyard!
• Silencing mind chatter
• Ignoring my phone, except for actual calls or messages
• Having a tea-party with my granddaughter;
• Confiding over coffee with a good friend.

What about a greater sense of purpose than such trivia you ask?

As for a greater sense of purpose that rattles around within, asking to be identified and expressed, what is that? What replaces the profession that one no longer finds fulfilling,or has outgrown? what is it ‘beyond family’ that I could embrace, that would impact a greater number of people, perhaps in one instance. How can the present moment be filled to embrace many (people) rather than one at a time, or just a few?

Not all of us are ‘called’ to a ‘greater’ purpose – for, in my view, there is no greater nor less than! What is, is. (This point could be debated, depending on how one looks at it.)

Sometimes though, there is a knowing, an inner notion that there is more, that one can reach more people, that is sparked within. One knows that there is an opportunity to do more and that the something (more) is within one’s power.

As I explore this awareness, this sense of knowing, this notion, I realize I am fulfilling it. It is within my power to write. And what I write is being published, and it is therefore reaching more people than just one.

Why write? Why is that my ‘more’?

I’ve a love for words, their nuances, the fun of language. For many years I played with learning other languages, though now I can only boast a mere word or two. In keeping with my post in the link below, I have now recommenced writing, and hope to uphold that which I began several years ago. I hope too, that my goal in sharing aspects of my life in my writing will resonate with those who need to hear the messages contained within.  

I invite you to leave a comment below about your chosen ‘something’ that you hope or know will leave a mark on this world. (If the comment box isn’t visible, please click on the title of this blog.)

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Check out aspects of my early background here: https://louiseallan.com/2017/07/10/susan-dunn-my-reading-and-writing-life/