By Carol Daly
What is it that you do that makes you stand apart from others?
What do you contribute that makes you feel good about yourself?
Whether one is a great teacher, administrative assistant, nurse, skydiver, a loyal friend, mother or brother to someone, or if you cook sumptuous lasagna, each of us has unique talents and gifts expressed in a myriad of ways. All of what we do to create value and support the lives of others, to bring hope, joy and be of service to people can become our greatest treasures in life. Moreover, when we’ve struggled to achieve something and weathered the unexpected storms of life, it seems to have more meaning, lasting value and impact. It is also likely that someone or several people have influenced and inspired us to action in small and great things. History and our own experience are a testament that this is so.
For example, Andrew Carnegie, an immigrant from Scotland, came to America in the early 19th century and went from rags to riches becoming a famous industrialist and philanthropist. He is said to have had a strong sense of filial piety especially towards his mother and resolved that they would not be poor. He struggled and worked as a child until an opportunity arose when he and his mother made a strategic investment in a telegraph company that became the turning point in his life and transition to wealth.
Temple Grandin, a severely autistic woman ultimately found her mission as an animal behaviorist and created humanistic ways of managing livestock. Along with what everyone believed were debilitating weaknesses, she had an astute acuity for understanding animals and their needs. Temple had a friend and teacher who believed in her and so she never gave up and overcame the odds of becoming a stunning success as an autistic woman. Helen Keller is another famous example and one who initially violently rejected her teacher. Helen proceeded to change the course of history for the blind and people’s understanding of the disability. In the end she had deep appreciation and reverence for her teacher who would not abandon Helen and believed in her unlimited potential.
A 13th century philosopher named Nichiren Daishonin said “More valuable than the treasures of the storehouse are the treasures of the body, and the treasures of the heart are the most valuable of all. Strive to accumulate the treasures of the heart.” He was writing a letter to a Samurai he’d taken under his wing who had an extremely hot temper that was getting in his way and causing his downfall. He was trying to guide him toward successfully overcoming various persecutions from jealous competitors and impossible feudal lords by directing him to change his own negative tendencies first. This was not an easy task for a Samurai and a pretty advanced approach for 13th century Japan. The Samurai prayed intently and changed his behavior following his mentor’s strict and detailed advice. He waged an inner battle of transformation. As a result he was able to receive many times the lands initially confiscated by his lord and when his lord fell ill this Samurai was able to use his medical skills to bring him to full recovery. When he changed on a very deep level, his environment changed and he was able to fully share his gifts to create the most value. Once could say he got out of his own way.
Treasures of the store house are the material assets and things we accumulate and need to sustain our life. These of course are temporary and when we die none can be taken with us. We leave this life without even one red penny! People often rely on these changing externals to bring them relief, comfort, enjoyment, love and affection. When in balance, enjoying these comforts and sharing them with others is part of the beauty and expression of life. In excess, they can become a form of escape and a detour from happiness, if, when a person confronted with the serious and painful realities of life, chooses to avoid such issues with excessive behavior and overindulgence. Such actions when unchecked can rob people of the true meaning in life. There is often more depression and isolation among those who have more options for escape and so the maxim “less is more” is often wise and true. On a macro level, avoiding difficulties and being ignorant to the interconnectedness of all life can manifest as massive greed, selfishness, arrogance and ignorance to the majority of people suffering around the world. This is ever prevalent today when less than 1% of the world’s population own more than 90% of the wealth. Still we have incredible widespread poverty and suffering.
Treasures of the body refer to our health and any special talents and skills we acquire and develop over the course of our lifetime. Similar to material assets, treasures of the body can be misused and abused if they are solely based on egotistical intentions. For example, we can easily discern the depth and heart of talented people who either move us or don’t and it is not always solely dependent upon their innate gift but how they express it and the intent of the giver. Is their art coming from a deep sense of appreciation and sincerity or is it from arrogance and ego? Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin are examples of singers who do not have glorious voices in and of themselves. What they had was a gift for expressing poignantly the depth and breadth what we all feel in each of their songs. This is far greater than having a beautiful voice and born from living and overcoming the trials of life.
Treasures of the heart then refer to the development of our inner state of life, strength, wisdom and our capacity for living and acting with courage and compassion. This includes an awareness of those around us and living and acting respectfully as we ourselves want to be treated. When this third aspect, a deep development of one’s inner life is active and manifested, then everything we do just as we are can create enormous value. A current example of striving to live this way and create value under any circumstances are the people in Northern Japan whose lives and homes were devastated in a few moments by the tsunami, recurring earthquakes and resulting nuclear instability. There is a story of a young woman who returned to her home town and found her mother and the family cat living in car for days with only a can of tuna fish. When the daughter said she would stay, her mother quickly said “No you must go and help everyone else; we will prove the unlimited transformative power of human beings!” Their determination to rebuild and create an even better life is astonishing and it is happening day by day.
When faced with a difficult choice, the loss of a job, an illness, a disappointment or when we lose someone dear to us, how do we react? Are we able to see the opportunity to develop our humanity or do we let fear, small mindedness and the lesser self take over? It is through overcoming trials both small and daunting that our lives are able to shine with brilliance and humanity. Then our assets and talents can be used in meaningful ways for ourselves and others. The other day I got caught in a fierce rain storm and decided to continue with my scheduled visit to a friend. The night became an adventure and I thought that life is like an intense and unexpected storm and all can be weathered and enjoyed.
The End
