Embrace the hard “heart work” of achieving meaning, breadth and depth in your life–job, career and retirement contributions are integral to our happiness. In the latest of Thomas Merton’s journal books, The Intimate Merton, his secretary and editor Patrick Hart, says that at one point Merton realized that he would not find meaning (or God) in the Central American monastery where he was hoping to work. Rome said “no”, you’re staying put in Gethsemani, KY. But in time, he found both new work and renewed faith in the hard “heart work” of being in the room where he woke up every day and by moving through his work day – falling down, getting up, falling down and getting up again. And again. Finding life/career/retirement meaning is no different for us.
