How Being at the Beach Taught Me the Essence of a Fulfilled Life
When I am in town and doing my thing, I am on it. I am a lead angel in two companies and a passive angel in four. I advise entrepreneurs at the ATDC and ATV. I invest my time in the Atlanta Technology Leadership Prayer Breakfast as well as the Angel Lounge. I have a wife, four kids, two sons-in-law, two grandchildren, relatives and friends. I am blessed with a full life.
I Get Overwhelmed
Then I get overbooked and exhausted, trying to do too much and not getting enough sleep. Add to all this the Christmas holidays, and I am flat out overwhelmed.Just after Thanksgiving, I had the idea for Kathy and me to go to the beach. Just take a break. The last time we did this, we spent five days in London just before Christmas. It was a blast. That was over ten years ago.I called my travel agent, Jason, and told him to recommend some great beach places. So here we are in Jamaica.We are staying at the beautiful, relaxing Half Moon Resort in St. James Parish. It is wonderful to have every need satisfied by the superb staff at the resort.But you know what? My contentment didn't last.My first thought this morning was, This is a life without purpose.To Kathy, I said, “We need to get back to Atlanta.”Kathy said, “What are you talking about?”I said, “Our big decisions today are: Where to have breakfast? What beach will we lay out on? What book should I read next? Where to eat lunch? And when is the pickup for dinner?”
Life’s Circle of Meaning
Enough of this resting. There is so much more to life. If I am not serving someone, then my life is meaningless. It was this thought that gave me a new insight.
We are all built by God to serve others.
Serving others with our gifts and experience gives our lives meaning.
Serving without allowing others to serve you results in exhaustion.
Allowing others to serve you gives their lives meaning and you energy.
Rest is good.
As our waiter kept saying last night, “It is all good, good.”