A Juice Well Worth The Squeeze
We sat around a table in Thailand…
it was breakfast when we began, only a few days after ringing in the brand new year, some of us still ringing inside, others slowly steeping towards a careful contemplation, all poignantly present to the scribbles standing alive on the pages before us — an exercise we called The Juice of Life.
And thus, we spoke.
We spoke of juice, of heartbeats, of purpose, of meaning, and at some point, we casually ventured upon the topic of life and how we are to live it. We spoke about those magical things in this world that no matter how quick we whir or swift we spin, we somehow seem to always return to; those simple things that make our lives matter as they do — love, friendship, family, honesty, creativity, craft, passion, patience, expression, integrity, fulfillment, and so much more.
We boldly stepped into the realm of all that stands in our way, those roadblocks and critics and emotions that come with all of the “no’s” and “can’t’s” and “unworthy’s” who rear their timeless heads to halt us from realizing the remarkable that we are.
We spoke of how we react to this, how we navigate those roadblocks— sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse — and where this may lead us on the great wide web of life.
And finally, we spoke of what lies before us. Now. We asked one another, daring in our honesty, to name one thing which we can do in this moment, with this life, and with each beat our vibrant hearts are granted, that may connect us to those things we hold dearer than anyone can ever imagine. How, with the vast complexity of being a person in this world, can we find the nectar of a life well lived, of a juice well worth the squeeze?
And, to my humbled surprise, we answered.
Each in our own way.
Each of us piecing together a tale of our own to share with the world, noting our darkness, those roadblocks, and still choosing to speak our truth in the name of a life of our design, of moments meant for us to hold and treasure, of divine choice, of a life dare lived, and a juice well worth the squeeze.
You know, as we spoke, we also joked. Of course we did. We laughed and danced and wove through the social parallels of perception, happiness, attainment, and most fascinatingly of all, a thing called Snapchat. Yes, that ghoulish little yellow box that lives in your phone and notifies you of another being on this earth attempting to grasp the fleeting wonder of life in the narrow frame of some 10 odd seconds. Though trivial in many respects, this idea spoke to us of the inclination to leave behind some sort of legacy, some imprint on this earth, something for others to know about how we lived our days. And as we spoke, a question naturally arose from the seeds of our thoughts, partly jovial, and yet fully sincere:
When you die, what would you have your Snapchat story say about how you lived your life?
Would it be a highlight reel of your finest points, with you teeming in pride as the world stares upon your awe-inviting accomplishments? Or would it reveal the toilings behind the scenes — the questioning, the doubt, the deep fear of what’s to come and what could be — and the hours upon hours of work you put in to simply move a single step forward? Would we see creativity and brilliance? And courage? Or would we be plagued by flashes of days spent in service of a sorely spinning globe, with tasks & to do lists that have no bearing on your soul, yet become paired with a rationale to make sense of those golden moments lost? Or would we see something we could never expect — a life lived far beyond the expanses of dreams, crafted with some craze-filled chaos, and courage, and choice? Would we see love, as you define it? Or any of the other treasures you’ve marked as your special juice? Would there be quiet moments with the ones you love and the ones you hold dear? Or sighs at yet another failed attempt at greatness? Would we see those spots in time where the thin places revealed themselves to you? Would we know that you lived to the point of tears, joy or sorrow, and breathed the breath you’ve always yearned to breathe? Would we want more? Do you want more? Or is this all, right here, somehow just enough?
These are all simply questions to grease the wheels of your already stirring spirit. There is absolutely nothing to prove to any other person who walks this earth, and though try we may, there never will be. The only measure that ever truly matters is the one we choose to place upon ourselves. And so, with honesty in your heart and a fervor in your soul, I ask you to consider this silly but substantive question: When you die, what would you have your Snapchat story say about how you lived your life?
dare live, my friends
for the juice is well worth the squeeze.
