“The truth is if what we choose to do with our lives won’t make a story meaningful, it won’t make a life meaningful either. ~ Donald Miller
I did not find this well over 5-star book browsing through a book store. I watched Donald Miller speak at a Zoom conference and I knew I was hooked when I had to keep stopping the zoom to back up and hear what he had to say. I took copious notes and kept saying amen and oh my gosh!!! He was keeping me at the edge of my seat with his stories about how in real life there are victims, heroes, and guides just like in all the good, have to watch movies. He is so right!!!!
So I picked up this book as my first and not to be my last and had to put it in my happy ass bookbag as one of my faves. He weaves in and out of a memoir-style book with life and business lessons throughout. The book is so good that I am now listening to his podcast, Story Brand on a regular basis. I can not believe I am just now discovering him now and I want you too, as well.
There are so many fave parts but I wanted to share with you the part that struck me the truest. He was traveling to Macha Picchu and it was a treacherous path and days and nights and rugged terrain. It was a quest that was for people far fitter than he. and I think he actually decided to do it and was partway trying to impress a girl and part impressing himself that he was living a good story. When they got to the peak and they looked out over the wonder, it was more beautiful because there was a pain in the getting there, it meant something.
He shares in this story that tourists could skip the rough parts and hop on a bus and a train and a boat and reach the same pinnacle. And yes it was lovely to them too but could it be as lovely without all the struggle? Could they really celebrate the majesty of it without climbing the mountain themselves?
My answer is NO, I think that the contrast in life is what make our lives so meaningful. I know happy because I have known sad. I appreciate the community because I have known lonely. I so appreciated my beautiful marriage to my husband Hugh because I had experienced one that was not so lovely. I have spent nights of sleepless worry over a son that was gone astray and I weeped with joy over his baptism. I have been sick so I know what health feels like. I have lived through poverty so I am so grateful for prosperity. And because grief has been mine to walk through I love my life more not less.
It is not my words that want you to read right now, I hope you will download or run to the nearest book store in person or on line and buy this book. I have already started reading another and plan on rereading this one. It is that good and has touched my business heart as well as my loving life heart.
The book is many stories within the story of his life and I loved all of it. Donald Miller is helping me rethink and reinforce many of my marketing and branding concepts. Oh, how I love people that make me think and dig deep!!!