“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs.  Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
~Howard Thurman

The ongoing pandemic has caused some of us to really stop and think (whether we wanted to or not!) about lots of things in our lives.  Some people are talking about moving back home (wherever home happens to be.)  Others are admitting that they just don’t like their current job.  Some folks are talking about an entire career change because the pandemic has made them realize that they haven’t been feeling truly “alive” at work for years.  Still others are ending relationships or beginning new relationships, contemplating having children or not. People are asking significant questions about the direction of their lives and we’re still not out of this crisis yet.  

500,000+ people have died from covid-19 in our country alone.  We recently reached that grim milestone.
People are anxious, afraid, grieving, overwhelmed, numb, angry—there’s plenty of feelings swirling right now.
Perhaps we’ve realized, once again, that life is short.

Personally (and on a much smaller scale) the pandemic has made me contemplate the ever elusive work-life balance.  I’ve never been particularly great about that.  But I’m just not willing to neglect myself and my family the way I once did, all on the sacrificial altar of being busy, important, or indispensable.  As if I ever was!  It will take some navigating, but I have made a commitment to better balance my job and my family.  Because having a work-life balance is important and makes me feel truly alive.  And tomorrow is never guaranteed to anyone. 

Maybe you’ve made some commitments during this trying time too.  
I’ve just been noticing this pattern of people in my life (and people in all sorts of articles I happen upon) asking a lot of big life questions concerning moves, jobs, careers, and loved ones because of the pandemic and the upheaval it’s caused.  
If you’ve had a moment like that, may those timeless words from theologian Howard Thurman guide you on your way. 

Read them or speak them out loud:
“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. 
Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that,
because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

What makes you come alive?
Just something to think about this week. 

Love,
Pastor Lauren

(This Week’s Thoughts 2.25.21)

Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash.