Thursday, March 3, 2005

"Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land," a nineteenth century industrial baron once said to Mark Twain. "I will climb to the top of Mount Sinai and read the ten commandments aloud."

"Why don't you stay home and keep them?" replied Twain.

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Grand ambitions before the grand exit. We all have them. Perhaps yours is to roar on a Harley from sea to shining sea, across the United States. Perhaps it is to see the grandeur of Europe. Or perhaps it is to leave beyond some written or created legacy for your future generations...

Don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with grand ambitions. They are noble ventures. But Mr. Twain makes a candid point upon which to reflect. And it is this: going through the grand motions of one's life will never replace the putting into motion the grand purpose of one's life.

Your grand purpose, my friend, if you have not realized it yet, may very well not be on some mountaintop. It may be your grand ambition to summit that mount, but I can't help but believe that most of our greatest ambitions - our greatest purpose(s) - call out to us from what we would consider our "ordinary life." They are the purposes and ambitions that simply make us a caring friend, a wonderful brother or sister, a loving spouse, a committed citizen, and a respectful son or daughter. It is these grand ambitions, these noble purposes, for which we'll be remembered... and it is these grand noble purposes that ultimately bring us solace.

Noble and grand dreams are wonderful and fun, and are meant to be chased. So chase them down, my friend, but slow down enough to let those other dreams - those grand purposes - catch up with you as well.