Yes to Life!

Crisis, loss and change of any kind, such as the current economic downturn, accompanied by all of the ramifications, while difficult and frustrating, can be an opportunity - a wake up call - to create a new path that may not have been explored otherwise. Crisis of any kind is always scary, mostly because of an innate fear of the unknown that naturally ensues and discombobulates our confidence.

History provides some powerful examples of those who endured tremendous crisis and chose to call upon a deeper well than fear; the resilience in the human spirit to fight on and create space for hope. I am always particularly struck by some of the World War II stories of Jewish prisoners stuck in the most evil and depraved conditions a human being can ever know. Most of us have heard of Man's Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl, yet his stories are but only a few of those who chose to call upon the will and nobility of the human spirit to make a difference.

Fritz Lohner-Beda, was one of the most sought after librettist and lyricists during the 1920's and 30's. He was arrested immediately after the Nazi annexation of Austria in March 1938. He immediately sent Buchenwald, one of the largest and first Nazi concentration camps on German soil. It was there that along with composer Hermann Leopoldi he wrote the camp anthem, the "Buchenwald Song". It was sung by prisoners as a gesture of defiance because the lyrics expressed hope for freedom beyond the barbed wire. In October 1942 Lohner-Beda was transported to Auschwitz III in Monowitz, Poland. Too old and ill for forced labor, he was either beaten to death or sent to the gas chamber in 1942. His wife and two daughters died at other camps. When Buchenwald was liberated by US troops in April 1945, surviving inmates spontaneously sang the "Buchenwald Song" as free men. With the promise of Lohner-Beda's lyrics fulfilled, the song remains a tribute to his gift and ability to keep hope alive for many that survived.

O Buchenwald, I can’t forget about you,
because you are my fate.
Who leaves you, only he can appreciate
how wonderful freedom is!
O Buchenwald, we don’t cry and complain
and whatever may be our destiny,
even so we shall say “yes” to life
for once the day shall come when we shall be free!

Surely none of us will ever face such dire circumstances and yet, it caused me to wonder:

How are we responding to our current circumstances? Are we calling forth the best in ourselves and others? Are we simply complaining and not doing anything about it but dragging others down? Are we living our opportunity and calling to inspire ourselves and others, saying "yes" to life?

I believe that saying "yes to life" means taking personal responsibility to shape a life that expresses the best of our talents, values and positive influence. It is making the most of our abilities and daring to follow our dreams. Steve Jobs has always been an example, for me, of someone that says "yes" to life. He knows that to go after what you want, to change your circumstance, to live a dream, you have to be willing to sacrifice, to see life as the precious commodity that it is, take risks, have faith and create opportunities.

In light of saying "yes" to life, this excerpt from Steve Jobs’s 2005 Stanford University Commencement Speech:

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.
You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.
Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me.

I would love to hear your stories about saying, yes to life. As always, I look forward to hearing from you.