David McElroy

making sense of a dysfunctional culture

Finding joy brings more happiness than the empty pursuit of pleasure

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I see God in trees.

I see our Creator in sunsets and flowers and children’s eyes. I see this Universal Spirit in beauty all around me. When I watch clouds or stars, I see creative intent which matches the most breathtaking art of man. And when I see and feel a thunderstorm racing toward me across a valley, I feel connected to all of nature.

In those moments of intense joy at the experience of this world, I feel love. Something pours through me like “waves of liquid love,” in the memorable phrase of 19th century evangelist Charles Finney when he described his first encounter with God.

I don’t care what you call it. I call it God. I call it my Creator. You might call it Universal Spirit or just Nature. Whatever your theology or belief, almost everyone has experienced this deep joy at some point. But most of us quickly leave the experience behind.

We forget that we can find more happiness in the joy of a tree or a sunset than we will ever find in the pursuit of cold and soulless physical pleasures alone.

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If we disrespect skilled trades, we’re ignorant and arrogant fools

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As I walked into Lowe’s tonight, I realized I was too ignorant to even ask for the part by its name. Was it a socket? A plug-in doohickey? Or “the stuff under where the plug goes”?

I don’t remember what I called it now, but a couple of employees looked puzzled until one of them realized what I wanted and directed me to Aisle 12. After wandering that aisle and confirming how hopelessly ignorant I was with these parts, a nice fellow shopper asked what I was looking for. She directed me to the right place — on Aisle 13, it turned out — and advised me about which one to buy.

I was completely out of my element and it made me feel shame and regret — not for the first time — about the utter disdain which I used to have toward people who did the sort of blue-collar work which I looked down upon.

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‘Don’t ever be afraid to turn page,’ but leaving comfort zone is scary

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Do you remember what it felt like when you thought you could do anything? If you experienced any kind of success when you were young — as I did — you know what I mean. There was a kind of exhilaration and eagerness — a feeling that the world was about to open up and make all your dreams come true.

And then the dream eventually starts turning to nightmare. Not immediately. Not all at once. The years move along. You do well but don’t reach the spectacular success you dreamed of. You’re not the brilliant young know-it-all anymore. There are some bumps and bruises along the way. You’re no longer the talented genius moving up the ladder toward ruling the world.

And then you start settling. You settle for less than the success you planned. You’re being paid well, so why would you take any risks? You settle for a relationship with someone who doesn’t know you and doesn’t really care to try. But it’s stability and people think you’re lucky, so why would you take any risks?

If this is you, Warren Buffett just tweeted some advice for you.

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