Friday, March 23, 2007

Evaluating Values

Running around in this brain of mine have been a lot of thoughts on values. What do I really value? And how do those values translate into my everyday life?

I wonder about values for two reasons. Firstly, there is a little clock in me that is ticking ever louder. Life is about to change in some pretty big ways. In less than a year I will be married and living in Slovakia. For both Amber and I we have come to a realization that we need to be deliberate in identifying what we value. We want to not just bump into people, but invest in our friendships. We need to spend quality time with family, rather than just getting around to it. We have to pause and appreciate the mountains and the ocean, instead of just driving to our next appointment. A limited amount of time has really made us appreciate every aspect, even the small ones, of our lives here in Canada.

Secondly, there are thoughts of how my values shape who I am as a person. The things I value serve as the framework on which I build who I am. In talking to one of our missionary friends, it became clear that if I am not aware of who I am in a familiar cultural context, than I will never be able to translate myself into another culture. Language, mannerisms, expressions and clothing are all expressions of who I am; but they do not define me. I must truly know myself in order to maintain my identity in a new culture.

This is a work in progress.