“If a man is called to be a streetsweeper, he should sweep streets, even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
For a long time I’ve felt a tension between what I have to do and what I want to do. Not because I don’t enjoy the “have to” part. The “have to” part is really good. It just doesn’t leave much time for the “want to”. I have a divine discontent deep within and I desire with all my heart to make a difference. To not waste my life.
What if I never get to do what I really want? Will my life matter?
Yes. Because I choose to live like it matters.
I will love and take care of my family and friends like it matters. My sisters and I were with Dad in the hospital when he passed and it mattered. Especially to Mom, because she couldn’t be there.
And we were with Mom at home when she took her last breath. That mattered to all of us more than we even know now.
I will do my best at taking care of all things financial for the construction company where I work because it matters to my boss, my coworkers, our vendors, and all the people who enter our buildings.
I forgave the friend who betrayed me because it matters. It matters to her and me and our families.
The day to day living matters. What you think is the mundane may be someone’s most meaningful moment. The random conversation in the grocery store. Finally having that couple over for dinner and good conversation will matter to them more than you know. The time you spend talking to your kids. Serving a meal at the local homeless shelter. Calling your parents. Smiling at the weird looking guy at the gas station. It all matters.
There are no small lives. You matter and what you do matters.
So live on purpose.
Live like it matters.
mariegriffith.me 
This is a very important message. Thank you.
I think so. I’m glad you do too.
It truly is the only way to live. Anything else is a compromise to dying.
May we remember this every moment. Even the hard ones, or tired ones. And especially the moments we’d rather not be in.
This is so very true!
As I read your post I kept going back to what I made into a philosphy of life which I tried to live by it says: ‘If I can not do great things I will do small things in a great way’
Thank you for your insight.
Thank you for your feedback. That’s a great way to live. And many times it’s the small things we do that make a significant difference.
Wow. I REALLY like this, and particularly timely for me. In the midst of transition, I keep asking, how did I get here, and why have I done nothing important on the way? But maybe… just maybe there were a few things that mattered. —Diana
Diana, thank you. Yes, what you’ve done matters, what you do matters, and what you will do matters.
This is such a well-thought out and beautifully expressed post. Thanks for reminding me of what I need to do.
Thank you for your kind comments. We all have something unique to share with the world and it’s important we do so.
You are welcome. I love your blog – you are so relevant.