How To Survive the Business of Living

     Real is the person who does not define happiness as an absence of problems. Surviving this
     business of living is a difficult ordeal at times. How can we retain a healthy sense of humor and
     experience a sense of balance in our lives ? How can we realistically and yet with a sense of
     wonder live fully and not just survive ? How can we maybe even celebrate this business of living ? To
     answer some of these questions we will focus on seven points.

          Life Isn't Fair
          No matter how good we get at this business of living, none of us gets out of it alive.
          Frustrating, isn't it ! Life doesn't always deal us a good hand and doing our best doesn't
          always pay off with a positive.

          Suffering
          Growth is seldom easy and pain is an integral part of our human condition. Everybody hurts.
          It's just that some of us are better actors in hiding the pain we feel. Seldom if ever ... are all of
          our ducks in a row.

          Loneliness and Alikeness
          Dr. Albert Schweitzer said, "We are all so much together, but we are all dying of loneliness."
          We have all known moments of apartness and empty loneliness. Embracing that reality is
          essential if we are to cope effectively.

          Personal Responsibility
          We each have a choice to be either a death-peddler or a life-giver. We are responsible for the
          choices we make. We can become most of what we wish to be if we are willing to change and
          pay the price.

          Self Worth
          A poster reads, "God don't make junk." People are special and each is, "Beautiful in his/her
          own way." We are more than our accomplishments !

          People Need People
          Life is not meant to be lived in isolation. All of life occurs within relationships. We need to
          know we are needed and so do those we need.

          Mystery
          Life is not just one big problem to be solved. Rather, it is a mystery to be experienced, all the
          more meaningful and beautiful when it is shared and celebrated with other persons who are
          committed to "growing deep, not just tall !"

 
                             -- Karen Kaiser Clark, The Center For Executive Planning