“The difference that any of us will ultimately make in the world is equivalent to our throwing a stone in to the sea. Science tells us that because the stone is lying on the bottom, the level of the water must have risen, but there is no way to measure it. We must take it on faith.”
– Gregg Levoy, in Callings; Finding and Following an Authentic Life
We still have to throw the stones, though.
The problem with callings is that they’re harder to measure in finite terms — sometimes the paycheck doesn’t correspond and sometimes the benefit is less evident. In a job, a raise is a raise and a promotion is one of the best things your boss can do for you.
In a calling, the Boss carries an upper case “B,” and He’s already done the best thing He can do for you.
So, by definition, callings are less about the material pursuits and the ego-centric rewards that drive most of our media and social commentary.
“Whoa, did you see Jane’s new BMW? She got a big promotion at work,” says the whole neighborhood.
“Holy cow! Did you see that smile on Steve’s face? He helped someone accomplish something today they didn’t believe they could ever do,” said no one. Ever.
So, why then, do we choose the Beemer over the smile? Why then do we seek validation from others — bosses, spouses, peers, competitors — when validation comes from our calling?
Maybe it’s because we’ve lost sight of the stone we threw. The stones we throw. The ones on the bottom of the sea, raising the water level.
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