Words that caught me: I is for 'It's not about you'!

 

If we accept

That we came into this world, without a thing,

And that we shall leave it, without a thing,

Means, our stay here, might not be about things.

 

If we accept

That we didn't have a choice, in getting here,

And we don't have a choice, in leaving here,

Means, now is all we’ve got.

 

If we accept

That we are born with certain talents

That continue to grow as we apply them,

Means, we can never exhaust our potential.

 

If we accept

That our potential is unlimited,

Means, our capacity to do good, is also unlimited.

 

If we accept all this,

Then it means, whatever we do with our life,

And talents,

Cannot be solely about us!

 

It means, this life is ours for the living,

But it is not solely about us!

 

It means, life begets meaning,

Only when it’s a service beyond us.

 

It means, that when we see our life and talents as being about us

Everything acquires a ‘sell by date’.

Our plans disappear into thin air, when we are gone.

Our things acquire new owners, when we are gone.

Fame and fortune becomes air, when we become air.

 

When we see life as a service beyond us,

And us, as instruments in furthering that service,

Everything acquires a totally different meaning,

That lives on, long after we are gone.

Our plans are picked up by our disciples,

Who continue to give them life.

Our achievements become legacies,

That continue to live in the hearts of others, long after we are gone.

 

It means the ‘life-altering results of [our] service

In other people’s lives will NEVER disappear

As fame [and fortune] unquestionably will.’

 

Picasso lives on, in his art.

Einstein lives on, in his formulae.

The artisans live on, in the magnificent architecture.

The farmer lives on, in the care he sowed.

The sweeper lives on, in all of us who walk on clean streets.

 

We are all capable of living on,

In our beautiful deeds,

And in the hearts of all those who experience

The love, beauty and generosity of our service.

 

We all can.

We all should.

 

The big question of yesterday, today and tomorrow is:

'How are you serving humanity?'

 

It’s not solely about you!

 

*This reflection was inspired by Joyce Didonato Commencement Speech at the Juilliard School.

"It’s not about you. This ...is a freeing and empowering truth. You may not yet realize it, but you haven’t signed up for a life of glory and adulation (although that MAY well come, and I wish with every fiber of my being, that it WILL come in the right form for every single one of you – however, that is not your destination, for glory is always transitory and will surely disappear just as fleetingly and arbitrarily as it arrived.) The truth is, you have signed up for a life of service... And the life-altering results of that service in other people’s lives will NEVER disappear as fame unquestionably will. You are here...to serve humanity." - Joyce Didonato