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Arthur starts his talk by saying, “We are more than our work.” I know this is directed at me. Of course, Arthur doesn’t know this, but the universe knows I need to hear this.
Arthus continues. “In a world often defined by career achievements and professional success, it's easy to forget the intrinsic value of our lives beyond our job titles. While work is undoubtedly an important aspect of our existence, it should not define our entire being. We are complex individuals withmultifaceted identities, passions, and dreams that extend far beyond the confines of our workplaces.”
I find myself deep in thought, trying to remember how I viewed myself before starting my company and before closing deals became the most important part of my life.
“Our worth cannot be reduced to a paycheck or a job description. We are sons and daughters, siblings, friends, and partners. We are artists, athletes, hobbyists, and intellectuals. We are the sum of our experiences, our kindness, our empathy, and our capacity to love and be loved.”
Arthur pauses for a moment and looks around at everyone, attempting to take us all in, one at a time.
“Our lives are rich tapestries woven with the threads of our interests, values, and relationships. These are the things that bring meaning and fulfillment to our existence. They remind us that our worth is not solely tied to our professional accomplishments, but rather in how we live our lives, the positive impact we have on others, and the joy we find in pursuing our passions.”
Arthur continues on, talking about letting go of defining ourselves by our careers and re-learning who we really are.
He opens the floor up to questions. Everyone looks around nervously, seemingly afraid to talk. I consider starting the questions off with a thought that came to me while I was listening to his talk and decide to go for it.
“Yes, I have a question,” my voice sounds scratchy and strange to me since I haven’t yet used it today. “How do we put aside the thought that another person is only interested in the work we do, rather than the person we really are?” I ask.
Arthur nods knowingly and responds, “You must show that person who you truly are. You must drop the veil. Take the risk. Once you do that you will be able to tell what they want and need from you. There will be no question in your mind.”
I nod and look around, a bit self-conscious now and wondering how my question came off to the others in the room. I’m not sure what to make of Arthur’s answer. How would I show someone who Itrulyam andhowwill I be able to tell what they want and need from me?
I glance back at Sasha and she smiles at me, her eyes twinkling. She knows enough about my life and history to understand why I asked the question.
A few more questions are asked and answered before we have another meditation session, this one much longer. I could barely sit through a thirty-minute session earlier. How the hell am I going to get through a full hour?
Lunchtime finally rolls around. Thank God. I’m starving and my back is starting to seize up from sitting on the floor. These floor cushions are okay but they don’t compare to sitting on a comfy couch.
I head into the common area and load up on the lentils, brown rice and roasted veggies that have been laid out on serving trays. I look around for more coffee but apparently, we are only permitted coffee in the morning. I’m sure they would argue that caffeine later in the day isn’t good for our chi or something.
I find the silverware and a napkin and head over to an empty spot at one of the long tables. I immediately dig into the food. It tastes better than I expected it to. Probably because I’m so damn hungry.
Someone sits down directly across from me and I glance up from my food. It’s Sasha. She smiles, points at her plate and rolls her eyes, indicating her disappointment with our lunch. She must have thought this place would be different as well. At leastI’m not the only person who willingly came here for five days with no idea what it was actually going to be like.
We both eat in silence, trying to make this less awkward than it really is. It’s so weird to eat a full meal with absolutely no talking. I don’t even know where to look so, mostly, I just keep my eyes on my plate.
After I finish, I rise, give Sasha a little nod and drop my plate off at the designated spot near the kitchen. I head off down the hall in search of a restroom.
Just as I’m about to dry my hands and leave the bathroom the door opens unexpectedly. I’m certain I locked the door behind me. Shit, must be a faulty lock…
Sasha walks in and startles, almost jumping out of her skin, obviously not expecting anyone to be in there. Before she can remember that she’s supposed to be silent she says, “Oh my God! I’m so sorry. I thought this was empty.”
I put my finger to my lips, indicating that she needs to stop talking before we both get in trouble. We both start laughing uncontrollably, attempting to be as quiet as we can but failing miserably.
I whisper, “How the hell did we both end up at this place? And how do we get out of here?”
She laughs and mouths the words, “I have absolutely no idea.” Her eyes are wide and her face is flushed from laughing.
“Meet me at 6 tonight at the end of the driveway. I’ll call an Uber and we’ll go get some real food,” I whisper.
A huge smile comes across her face and she nods quickly.
We both put our fingers to our lips again like a couple of schoolchildren and I walk out of the bathroom, leaving her to do her business.
Thank God there is no one outside of the bathroom in earshot.
I walk toward the meditation room smiling to myself and feeling excited to see Sasha again later tonight. That steak and martini are going to taste even better with her there to talk to.
Chapter 9
