For What?
I was out for a walk in a familiar neighbourhood in Kelowna; one which I’ve walked through numerous times. Oddly enough in this neighbourhood along the waterfront there is an active sawmill in one corner of it; quite unsightly but regardless, a fixture in the community since the 1950s. As I walked closer towards the sawmill I noticed there were no sounds coming from it, many of the structures had been torn down, and it did not appear to be operating. I stood peering through the opening in the metal fence looking at the site when a gentleman walked towards me as he approached the fence. I asked him what was happening here. He began to tell me of the sudden and abrupt closure of the sawmill by the owners. He shared how there had been no indication of closure just a sudden halt and permanent stop of the operation. As we stood looking at each other through the openings in the fence he shared of his heartbreaking story. The story seemed to be one of loyalty, dedication, and hard work to a company he had devoted 38 years of his life to! All of which now seemed meaningless and forgotten.
As I completed my walk it got me thinking about the importance of putting our finite amount of time on this earth, despite needing to earn a living, into things that we find both purposeful and meaningful and that bring joy to our lives. In so doing, should our life take an unexpected turn, or if it throws us an unforeseen curve ball we can feel at peace with the years expended, knowing that our time was not wasted because we lived our life in such a way that each day was invested in those things that mattered. In so doing we will not be caught off guard 38 years later asking ourselves the question … “For What????”.
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