I just discovered a poem by James A. Michener, which beautifully illustrates the possibility of living an integrated and balanced life, where the different life areas are in harmony with each other.
Michener calls it “The Master in the Art of Living.”
The Master in the Art of Living
The master in the art of living makes little distinction between
His work and his play,
His labor and his leisure,
His mind and his body,
His information and his recreation,
His love and his religion,
He hardly knows which is which,
He simply pursues his vision of excellence in whatever he does,
Leaving others to decide whether he’s working or playing,
To him, he’s always doing both.
I love the title, “The Master in the Art of Living” because it reminds us that living is an art. We can create the life – and lifestyle – we want based on our passions, skills, interests and goals. We don’t have to separate what we do (our job) from what we enjoy doing (our passion). And we don’t have to make our life revolve around our job.
What does this poem say to you? Are you a master in the art of living?
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We all strive for something like that I think.