A full life or a fulfilled life is a choice we each make. Is your life full or fulfilled?
Breadth or Depth
We really like simplistic, light-switch comparisons.
Hence, is our life marked by breadth or depth?
As such, we take mile-wide-inch-deep to mean we lack discernment and insight. But, nature itself says both are acceptable.
How so? Some rivers are deep and some are shallow. Thus, the truth is, we can do better than believing there is only one right answer to the breadth-depth question!
What Full Looks Like
When we focus on doing more things we add breadth to our life. Thus, our life becomes very full with lots of personal experiences.
That lifestyle can make for enjoyable memories, say in a family setting.
However, a full life becomes problematic when we continually chase some new experience. Thus, we never take time to reflect on what truly brings us joy. In so doing, we side-step critical outcomes such as gratitude and development of experiential insights.
What Fulfilled Looks Like
When we focus on personal transformation we’re adding depth to our character.
In turn, that depth of character can be impactful in the lives of others.
But when? When we’re willing to share from the overflow of our own life. That sharing from our depth of insights is one aspect what a fulfilled life looks like.
Truly, we receive back good as a result of what we share with others, Proverbs 13.2.
What does that sharing from experience look like? Consider how you would answer the following questions:
1). How did you navigate through the challenge?
2). What specific steps did you take to move forward?
3). What have you learned since turning the corner from that difficult time in your life?
Don’t tell me about hard work and good luck. We all work hard! Tell me the specifics in the stories you share so that I have something to act on — today! proverbsforprofessionals.net
The Precept
Matthew 13.52 is a picture of sharing from the “treasure” of a life that is continually learning.
It shows us drawing from life experiences to “…bring forth out of (our) treasure things new and old.” The “old” points to the experiential insights we have build up during our lifetime.
The “new” reflects our willingness to seek out new learning. To have a growth mindset. Thus, to add breadth to our experiences and, as a result, add to the wealth of wisdom we have to share with others.
Moreover, that wisdom is the ultimate life treasure we discover, according to Matthew 13.44. Indeed, according to Proverbs 2.4, wisdom is the ultimate form of wealth available to us.
Apply This Today!
New learning adds to our treasure of wisdom. It adds breadth to the depth we have already accumulated, if we’re taking the time to reflect on and learn from our experiences.
Breadth vs Depth isn’t an absolute trade-off. Instead, it’s an area where we need life balance, hence discretion to choose wisely.
Finally, the photo — fall colors beside a lake. The seasons of nature suggest to us that life is cyclical. At times we push for depth, but at other times we need breadth.