What’s Your Legacy?

As a kid, I was bitten by the wanderlust bug. I felt comfortable camping, hiking, and exploring the woods. I enjoyed being outside, with my feet in a stream, the smell of a campfire in the air, and hearing the sounds of nature, I felt at home. But as I kid, I didn’t know how much I loved it. I took it for granted, until now, as I reflect on my childhood. Growing up in the suburban sprawl of the 70’s, nature soon gave way to subdivisions, big homes, manicured lawns, as fields, streams, and woods to explore became a distant memory.

“…Mark will be remembered as a dedicated employee and leader. His drive and desire were to lead the company that he worked for, to rise to the top and become an industry leader. He spent many nights and weekends sharpening his business skills and putting forth every effort into advancing his career…”

Concrete was now paving the path to my future. Ahead, there was prosperity, opportunity, success, corporate dreams, and professional & social status. My free time soon became organized time. Organized time became structured time, and my dreams stealthily changed from adventure, exploring and loving life to simply planning, climbing the corporate ladder, and living the daily motions of life.

“…As the industry changed, and challenges arose, Mark was the first one to dig in and work even harder to do whatever it took to meet the goals and objectives of the company. Even as the bar was raised higher and higher, there was not a challenge or sacrifice that Mark wasn’t willing to make for the good of the company…”

Not long after starting my new job, the company was sold to a major international corporation. The culture went from collaborative, fun, and empowering to one run by stockholders and accountants, where employee’s names, faces, and lives became just a number on a spreadsheet. Every decision was now made in the interest of the shareholder’s returns, and not in the interest of the people who dedicated their lives to the company, or even the customers. A few years later, I got sick. The stress to live up to the unreasonable expectations had finally brought me to my knees. The desire for wanderlust, love, freedom, life and spiritual awakening has never been greater.  While I’m now lost, the awakening is alive, and I am beginning to Be_again.

Three Lakes Trail, Morgan Monroe – IN, April 2018