Which do you prefer? On the surface, I would take easy. But if I reflect a little deeper, I want a meaningful or purpose driven life. I am writing this from the Greek Island of Amorgos. I have really enjoyed running and hiking here this week. It is easy to see that life here for the locals is hard. Most of the handful of villages on this side of the island have no roads in them, only stairs leading to the homes. Everything is raised here or comes in on a ferry to this tiny port and they only got electrical service in 1983! Talking with the owner of the hotel, I got to see her answer to this question. She grew up here but moved to the US with her husband and had a good and relatively easy life there. Still, after 10 years she gave up the easy life to come back to this small island where life is much harder, but much more connected and meaningful. And they made it even harder by starting a hotel in the mid 1980’s with her extended family. They all worked all the jobs of the hotel for years before they could hire employees to help. Her co-owner and husband still does the gardening and some maintenance. She still cooks and teaches cooking classes. Life here is not easy, but she has a very meaningful life working hard and very connected to those she loves most. All of her children and grandchildren also work at the hotel and are happy to do so. She has built a community that is very meaningful!
Listening to The Second Mountain, by David Brooks, for the second time while I was running today, I came to tears hearing the stories of people that have given themselves fully to living in and improving their communities. He shared data from a global study of where people feel the most meaning in their lives, and it is Liberia and lowest is The Netherlands. Meaning and purpose come from being committed to and serving others, which is widespread in Liberia due to the tough life circumstances that brings people together. In the US we always feel strong sense of purpose, meaning, and connections when responding to a natural disaster. The rest of the time, we live in big houses with big yards that actually separate us from our neighbors and even our family. At home when I return from a run, I often stretch in the kitchen instead of the gym in the basement as I want to be close to my family. I am not sure how this will unfold for me yet, but I am certain I want my transition to the second half of life to be meaningful more than easy.
What about you?
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
Art
