When I think of CEOs—Chief Executive Officers—of major corporations, I often think of men and women with a single focus, which all boils down to dollars. Perhaps that is why they are in the positions they hold, because it only takes one or two bad quarters, and the CEO is looking for another job that may or may not come with an office on the top floor. My guess is that many CEOs are singularly focused, but I suspect the really successful ones have found a balance in their lives.
Currently, Coca-Cola Enterprises is a company worth about $271 billion. Who knew a little red can was worth so much, but they are involved in far more than fizzy sodas. From 1986-1991, Brian Dyson was the CEO. Although not worth as much then as today, it was still a powerhouse. In 1996, Brian was invited to Georgia Tech to deliver the commencement address. Perhaps they were expecting him to speak on that singular drive for the golden ring, but instead, they got a lesson in leading a balanced life. Brian said:
“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends, and spirit – and you are keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends, and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”
Benedict of Nursia wrote his rule, what we now know as the Rule of St. Benedict, in the 6th century. Towards the end of the prologue, Benedict writes:
Brothers and sisters, we have asked the Lord
who is to dwell in His tent,
and we have heard His commands
to anyone who would dwell there;
it remains for us to fulfill those duties.
Therefore we must prepare our hearts and our bodies
to do battle under the holy obedience of His commands;
and let us ask God
that He be pleased to give us the help of His grace
for anything which our nature finds hardly possible.
And if we want to escape the pains of hell
and attain life everlasting,
then, while there is still time,
while we are still in the body
and are able to fulfill all these things
by the light of this life,
we must hasten to do now
what will profit us for eternity.
And so we are going to establish
a school for the service of the Lord.
To accomplish this life, the religious who lived within the walls of the school or monastery were to work toward a life of balance between prayer, work, study, and renewal or rest. Whether aware of it or not, this is the type of life that Brian Davis was trying to describe to that graduating class—a life of balance.
Considering our own lives, I suspect the rubber ball—that which we can occasionally allow to “drop”—is different for each of us. Unfortunately, whatever it may be, that aspect of our life is likely something that we view as one of our most dear “possessions,” for a possession is not only understood as a thing but also something we can control, like a job or even a hobby. This is why Jesus said, “None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions”? Those things we possess—things we have or control—often end up possessing us. And, like the demons that possessed the sick, these possessions drive us from God and the other aspects of our lives. Therefore, if some part of your life possesses you, find ways to let it go for a time so that different parts of your life are not neglected.
Candle in a Cave 