Broken Glass

“There is no value in life except what you choose to place upon it and no happiness in any place except what you bring to it yourself.”     Henry David Thoreau

It’s not the first time for my sisters and me. The shattering sound confirms that the drink container that was in my hand seconds earlier is now in many pieces on the hardwood floor. My first reaction to the mishap is disbelief – surely it had not occurred. How could I be so clumsy? My second reaction is to apologize, of course, but before I can travel down the road of apology, I hear my Mom say familiar words, “The glassmaker has to make a living.”

My sisters and I have heard that phrase in other moments when an object made of glass was broken. Mom is teaching us a lesson . . . to value people more than things.

I agree with the principle of valuing people above things. But, how do I know if this philosophy is part of my life? Is this principle more than just the words declared many times by our mother?

How does one know if any life principle is really part of your life?  Does agreement equal reality?  Are words important?  Are words enough? What do you think?

I believe that agreement is recognition – awareness. I believe that words do matter. These are important first steps, and no journey ends without a beginning.  Action is reality — the next logical step, the proof of what we believe and cherish the most.

My mom had many sayings which she voiced quite frequently. The real power of her maxims was in example – how she lived every single day.  The proof was found in her actions regarding time, money and major decisions.  How she spent her time, how she spent her money, and the important decisions she made were the powerful examples of what she believed. Her simple sayings defined her and were a constant strong reminder and reflection of how she lived.

What are your values?  Which principles represent how you want to live your life? How can you be sure that you are living these values?   A great way to evaluate yourself is to look at your decisions. How do you spend money and time? Look at what you often repeat to others. You can begin to get a clearer picture of your values when you start reviewing your decisions, time, money and communication. Here are some questions to help you in taking stock – analyzing these fundamental elements.

Decisions – What are the most important decisions I have made in the last 12 months?  What do I value, based on my current decisions?

Time – In what area have I invested the most time in the last 12 months? What does my normal day look like?  How do I spend my free time? How do I spend my time at work? Using time as a measurement, what do I value the most?

Money – In the past year, how did I spend my money?  Does my use of money reflect my beliefs?

Communication – Based on what I say most often to others, what do I value the most? What phrase or saying is associated with me? (In my case it is “Mondays are great!”)   What do I want to communicate to others? What would I like for others to hear when I talk?  Do I believe my conversation accurately portrays what I believe? Do I walk my talk?  Do my words match my actions?

What life principles do I most embrace? Which do I most desire for reflecting the real me?  What do I believe about decisions, time, money and words? How do my current actions reflect what I believe and what I say I believe?

One step that is possible for me today in revealing the person I say I am and the person I most want to be is . . . .