Aware of the meaning of our lives


by Paul de Blot 2 November 2009 permalink

The media overwhelm us with information about the crisis but all this information tells us nothing. We are only touched when it affects us, when we hear that our money in the bank is gone, as we are about to be fired, when I hear that my child is terminally ill. I've known people who by the news that they were terminally ill at once changed. They were aware that life is and what matters.

At those moments we realize that life is only given to us as a gift attributable to us. We have done nothing and have no right to. The paradox is that we still enjoy complete freedom to say YES or NO to this life. Our whole lives we have a responsibility to the reality of our lives in gratitude to reject or accept all consequences.

Our greatness is the freedom to do something great advantage of the opportunities that life offers us, or addicted to the short-lived results. It's about awareness and an understanding that goes deeper than intellectual knowledge and analysis. We can live as the reality of our true inner self and taste tests. I can as a weather expert know everything about the weather, but otherwise it's like me on the beach enjoying the sunset.

In a crisis, all familiar certainties rational way. It's a growth process which we are at a higher level where the old certainties no longer offer support. That makes us anxious. There is a deepening of insight and awareness needs of his thinking to the deepest level of our existence. It's like from the top of the hill the winding paths where we got lost from a higher level can see.

This spiritual deepening crisis in the process can occur as the certainties of our work and our lives disappear. But they can also be achieved through reflection by the question of why. Toyota sets a new product or major problem five times the question: "Why are we doing this?" That way they emit through a deeper meaning of the problem.

In her book "What's your excuse?" (2009) Esther Jacobs talks about this experience. "From the airplane window when I looked out I started thinking. Suppose that for some reason my last day would be? How would I like to spend? To my surprise I came to the conclusion that I would do exactly what I was doing now. " She became aware of the gratuity of her life that she just had to accept. She had no money and no job but began her action that she Coins for Care around the introduction of the euro coins remaining inzamelde for charity. She became aware of what was the meaning of her life with a smile and was able to overcome setbacks.

Esther Jacobs, What's your excuse?, Bruna, 2009

Kind regards,

Paul de Blot
Professor of Business Spirituality
Nyenrode Business Universiteit
Prof. Paul de Blot SJ
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23 Comments

Respond to this column


  • 11 November 2009
    Prof. Dr. Sinay Christa permalink

    Dear Paul,

    Your newsletters always set me to thinking.
    And to this newsletter I want to respond.

    In another article I read: Life is the plural of guts!
    Many people do not dare or have the courage to live their dreams and that is unfortunate. Because it's never too late to live your dreams.
    Questions like: What have you always wanted to do? Of which you dream? are essential questions to answer.
    No desire is so large or has the power to achieve. If you dare to listen to your heart and your feelings for that is your inner compass.
    Each of us has that inner compass. Dare to feel and listen to your heart to make choices. It is after all the choices we make and not the chances we take determine our future.

    Sincerely,
    Christa Sinay

    21 November 2009

    Sinay @ Christa: Christa you've just expressed

  • 9 November 2009
    Prof. Dr. Tanja permalink

    Dear Mr. Blot,
    So aptly wrote, thanks for this, a bull's-eye shot entirely in relation to my current situation. Have a ninth resigned from the business after 25 years working in target driven organizations. Such integrations 6 survived, interim actions with surprise beholding, personnel elusive, always nekuitstekend (and again deliberately hidden in the ground), upholding its own values ​​and considers the central place of the customer as a benchmark. So now ... emotionally exhausted, happy and confident again otherwise healthy choices for LIFE. Am 44 years and again become a mother (super!), put my family at No. 1, try to network and to work for my own authenticity, its beliefs based on honest management. I have now started their own businesses (sales based on open visor) and the crisis will not let me stop doing those things that I want. Investing now is enjoying, really feel, perspective and sometimes fail to understand how processes running. A glass ceiling does not exist, we women have choices, the choices that men are more difficult to make. Husband and wife are jointly responsible, some gender roles are a fact, I live there to!
    Everything is love, everything is, everything is nothing. Hope more of you to read!

    21 November 2009

    @: Tanja: Tanja Beautiful, keep it up

  • 5 November 2009

    Paul Wise,
    I am grateful that today I got the tip to look at your site ... ... I've come home. It feels like a warm welcome. I'm trying to find a form that connects to a real movement / awareness to generate business. I am genuinely curious about your vision of what the language that managers and directors in 2009 speak and understand this connection.

    warm regards,

    Paul

    6 November 2009

    @ Paul van Nierop: The language is very different and the young people understand more than we think

  • 5 November 2009
    Prof. Dr. Derek permalink

    I think it is always nice to hear again how many people it seems something very negative (eg losing a job) often afterwards as an important turning point in their lives.

    I also agree with you that we can say yes or no, and can only dare to be two different things. Few people dare to say no and to lead lives that they really would want to lead.

    Thanks for your article otherwise!

    6 November 2009

    @ Derek, thanks for your confirmation Derek

  • 4 November 2009

    Your words are always at the right time. How do you do? (-:

    Hearty

    Harry Bartelds

    6 November 2009

    @ Harry Bartelds: Thanks for your surprise, that's a positive behavior that you're open to new inspiration in the here and now

  • 3 November 2009

    I would like to speak face to face soon. Is that possible?
    Keep up the good work!

  • 3 November 2009
    Prof. Dr. Peter Meijers permalink

    Dear Paul,
    Thank you for your wise words. Two months ago my employer fire me. Taken leave of me, as it was described as beautiful. The special was that it felt like for me farewell. Farewell from what I've done until then. Farewell to blockages in the way that you were to continue. Farewell to the old. That was the way for the new. I recognized your words thus: Our greatness includes the freedom to do something great advantage of the opportunities that life offers us. The growth here is the shedding of the old thinking in fixed structures and paradigms. The old growth is difficult, because it offers security stability. But by dismissing you recognize that it is a false security. This creates a true realization as an understanding that goes deeper than intellectual knowledge and analysis. Belief in yourself and the road ahead. But the confidence that, despite the resistance and the lack of understanding that I will experience, you eventually grow in a direction much more certainty, not based on such permanent structures but on your own. There is therefore no longer speak of fear. Apparently, we as humans need every now and then to fall to thereby detach from the present and prepares the way for the future.
    Sincerely,
    Peter Meijers

    3 November 2009

    @ Peter Meijers: Peter, I understand your comment. and am so glad you've come

  • 2 November 2009
    Prof. Dr. Cor van der Linden permalink

    Dear Paul,

    Some time ago I had the pleasure to meet you personally can do, and live there every day to fine herineringen again before my very warmest thanks.

    Your letter of today with the message of Esther Jacobs for many people like a glove but many of us have the excuse that I did not know because we go through the world with our eyes half open. Quite rightly you write not literally, but that the first bomb to fall on our own for our eyes fully open, and then we see the bright and beautiful colors of life.

    Yellow is the color of heat, the green color of safety, the red color of love, the purple color of repentance and finally the black color of mourning.

    Why does the color last is often the color that eventually opens our eyes to all the other beautiful colors of life, it's so unfortunate that we do not all people of the world can achieve with the color red for example, what is more beautiful in the than people you love and trust by which they are happy.

    Everything in life is subordinated when the color black comes into our lives, let us at this moment thinking of those who face the color black, and all our fellow men, the warm colors of life radiate, for example for young and old.

    Paul was also you who gave me the colors back to life every day and let me enjoy this prachige colors in a world that too many beautiful people, places and moments.

    Thank you and write much of this impressive letters.

    Greetings Cor.

    3 November 2009

    @ Cor van der Linden: Cor I'm glad I'm not being able to support. Many thanks for your support for me. So we strengthen and enrich each other we met. Thanks

  • 2 November 2009

    Thank you Paul for your inspiring article. You express the beautiful weather. Life provides opportunities for inner growth. Setbacks are thus challenges to grow. Certainly not easy but the reward is worth the reward of a solid anchoring loving soul level.

    3 November 2009

    @ Vonny Nuijten: thanks for your response and understanding Vonny. Furthermore, much good

  • 2 November 2009

    Paul Fine and positive message. To me it feels so true that the difficult moments in life are blessings to us again and deeper help. At the moment I sit in the middle of it is not fine, but afterwards, climbed back up again I'm glad I'm allowed to participate.

    3 November 2009

    @ Remko Wyatt: I'm glad you recognize Remko. The best

  • 2 November 2009

    Thank you, dear Mr. de Blot, for this beautiful article.
    We all sometimes thrown back on ourselves so we end up in a crisis or depression. It is not about, as soon as possible behind us, but to wonder what this has to do for us and our lives.
    We then into the deeper layers of ourselves, our inner world can be addressed and not just our exterior.
    This time gives us many opportunities for us to wonder what this has to do for us and for ourselves?

    Sincerely,
    Gert Pasman

    3 November 2009

    @ Gert Pasman: I'm glad you've recognized Gert. Your comment has been enriching for me.

  • 2 November 2009

    Thanks for these beautiful words at the beginning of a week!

    3 November 2009

    @ Taco January to Gussinklo: thank you very much for your response which I myself also richer in January



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