Running True

People who build walls want their walls to run true. Whether they are framed in lumber, built of bricks, or made of stacked stones, good walls are balanced and level, positioned correctly, and remain upright. True walls are in the right place, they are straight and square to their foundations, and they stay standing. Walls which are not true either lean, are in the wrong place, or fall down; they do not do what we expect walls to do.

Walls that run true are an effective combination of good materials and the skills of the builder.

People who sail want their sailing journeys to run true. They want their boats to stay afloat and moving forward, to be balanced well, and to be positioned correctly to respond to the wind in their sails. They want to be able to know where they are going and to steer in the direction in which they want to go, and for their boat accurately translate that direction into movement.

Sailors know that running true is a good overall measure of their abilities and the strengths of their vessel.

As a spiritual director and leadership coach, I listen to a wide variety of people. Many of the people with whom I talk want my help because their lives appear not to be running true. They may feel that they are not balanced or level; they may sense that they are not positioned correctly in relationship to God or to their own truest selves. They may feel that they are the leader they set out to become. They may be frustrated that they are not headed where they expected to be going, or that their lives may seem to be falling down.

They tell me their stories, describing their experiences and expectations. Together, we sort through the ways they experience their own spiritual journeys and leadership, looking for themes and markers to help us gain new understanding. Together, we examine the things they see as mistakes or weaknesses to discover the depth of their true lives.

Is your life running true?

[Image by spratmackrel]