Be What You Are

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A while ago, a friend of mine observed that one of my biggest strengths and at the same time biggest weaknesses is that I'm always trying to be on my very best behavior. He urged me to lighten up a bit as a means to enjoy life more and have less stress, to which I intimated that I could not do that for it would be against my nature.

Years ago as a boy, I first heard the story of this stone which hung around the turn of the century in a Scottish village. Since then, it has served as many a sermon springboard for instructing young people in their responsibilities. In Rogers and Hammerstein's "The Sound of Music", Reverend Mother asks Maria what the most important thing is that she's learned thus far in the abby. Maria tells her: "To learn the will of God and to do it whole-heartedly." It is both the will of God and the purpose of our creation to be the very best we can be, and everything He gives us and asks of us is orchestrated towards that end.

Every part of the human family putatively plays an important role in moving our race forward. I recall as a scout a canoing trip in which they paired a newcomer to myself. The match relied on my relatively advanced ability at the stern to keep the canoe in a straight course. My teammate tried as best as he could, but I could not articulate on the fly commands of sufficient clarity to correct his efforts, and we soon found ourselves wedged against the bank in a place where we could make no progress. At first, I was furious, but I know he was doing the best he could on his first canoing foray, so I altered the instruction and we made much better progress with him rowing where I directed "left, left, right, left, right, right..."

Fresh out of graduate school, I took a "temporary" manual labor job to earn money while I tried to get a real job. The first day I missed of work, my supervisor told me he required three people to compensate for the void I left in the line. At that point, both he and I knew my worth to the organization, and he began to take stock in my complaints, requests, and comments. He gained faith in my ability and my value to the organization by realizing what it cost him for me to be absent, and he begged me to refrain therefrom in the future. I also knew thereby that my contribution was more than ordinary, and so I knew I was capable of moving to something way better, and I eventually left the organization. In matters of eternal import, we gain faith, including faith in ourselves, by doing everything we can.

I know people who are insatiably happy. I envy them. I am far too serious. I think to a large degree happiness comes from finding a groove in which you fit and a rhythm at which you maximize your efficiency, and doing something at which you are good. Books on the subject like "Do What You Are" or aptitude tests attempt to encourage people to do something they are good at. The other part of happiness is however doing something you enjoy. I might be good at any number of things, but I have no desire to do them.

No matter what you might be right now, be the best whatever it is you can be. That is the test of life, to make the best of your circumstances however wretched they may be.

The truth is that we were meant to be far better than that to which most men hope to achieve, let alone aspire. It's not about the money or the title, it's about that sense of value and purpose we glean from our work. My boss will be happy to know that for the first time in many years, I feel that where I am now. It's a good place to be.