Finding Your Greatness

In my last post I asked you to consider if your goal is worthy of your life.  What is a goal that is worthy of a life?

I believe there is greatness in you…actually, in each of us.  But I must be careful here.  There is a kind of greatness that is often celebrated in the world that has nothing to do with how I define the term.  People who have achieved outstanding fame and fortune are often envied and frequently considered to be great.

I have something else in mind.  Greatness is found when you discover something good outside yourself that you value enough to suffer and sacrifice in order to nurture or advance it.  Parents frequently demonstrate greatness in the selfless care they provide to their children.  They spend countless sleepless nights feeding, comforting, and changing their infants.  They work long hours to provide necessities and opportunities such as a good education so their children can provide for themselves.

There is an endless list of other good causes that great people have embraced.  They include such things as social justice, care for the poor, eradicating disease, strengthening community, world peace, and bringing food to a neighbor who is confined at home.  There are no big or small acts of greatness.  Everything that nurtures the good in the world is great.

You might not have thought much about your greatness, about the things that you hold so precious that you will suffer for them.  There are millions of great people in this world whose names you will never know, but who wake up every day to make the world around them a better place as best they can.

We need to know this greatness in ourselves, to honor it, and feed it.  It needs to shine brightly.  The world needs your greatness so badly.

Take a few minutes and make a list of a few things that define your greatness.  What matters to you?  You may be surprised to discover more greatness than you knew was there.