All Day Today

The world recently lost a good man.  His name is Rev. Kenneth Bailey, Th.D.

Dr. Bailey was a Professor of New Testament.  He spent most of his career in the Middle East.  He taught at the Near Eastern School of Theology in Beirut, Lebanon, and had a peculiar lens through which he viewed the New Testament.  Unlike most Western scholars, he attempted to read the New Testament through the eyes of Middle Eastern culture—peasants to be precise.  His scholarship was insightful, creative, and inspirational.  It is a privilege to read his work, and it was even more of a privilege to learn from him in the classroom.

Dr. Bailey was a quiet man.  There was really no noise about him.  He lived simply, studied earnestly, and was humble and very kind.  Six years ago, he and his wife experienced, first hand, the fear of every parent.  Their son, David, finally succumbed to the brain tumor that had been discovered at the age of 30.  David lived 14 years longer than the surgeons told him he would live.  During that time, he transformed his life—and the lives of those around him, into something quite spectacular.  His story was documented on an episode of “60 Minutes.”

After his initial diagnosis, David ironically concluded that cancer saved his life.  As he told the story, cancer showed him how precious the gift of time really is.  During one interview he said that: “[Cancer] drove me to want to make a real difference in the world and in other people’s lives by sharing hope and to leave a legacy for my children more resounding than a few mementos and a 401(k).”  He said that he realized that his “Why me?” anger at God was pointless, and that the real question was “What now?”  During the “What now?” phase of his life, David recorded 23 CDs.  One of the most poignant songs from that collection was recorded in 1997 on the CD Not by Chance.  The song is titled “All Day Today.” He writes,

everybody seems to worry about my head and my heart

everybody’s in a hurry

to provide me with a brand-new start

I don’t need to begin to believe in myself you know I’ve been down that road once before

I know all the pain of a soul on the shelf and I won’t keep it there anymore

don’t you see I’m ok

I have learned how to live all day

all day today

Cultivating the discipline of living “all day today” is similar to what Dr. Amit Sood of the Mayo Clinic calls practicing the discipline of “mindfulness.”  “Mindfulness” is the self-discipline of living in the moment—really living in the moment.  It is the acquired discipline of teaching our brains to slow down.

The trouble with many of us, particularly those in leadership positions, is that we often get so caught up in the “to do” list, that we neglect the joy and the beauty of the moment; the satisfaction of watching colleagues experience success or the thrill that comes from accomplishing a significant achievement—together.  Mindfulness is living all day today, even as we entertain thoughts of tomorrow. [bctt tweet=”Mindfulness is living all day today, even as we entertain thoughts of tomorrow.” via=”no”]

Many years ago, my wife and I lived in Seattle, Washington.  Every year, at exactly this time of year, I would take an afternoon or two and visit marinas, dreaming of the day that I might own a boat.  I looked at all kinds of boats ranging from powerboats to sailboats.  One day, I finally asked a salesperson the difference between an individual who purchases a powerboat and one who acquires a sailboat.  “That’s easy,” he said, “the person who buys the sailboat enjoys the getting there.”

Enjoying the “getting there” is both a discipline and a gift.  It takes purposefulness and concentration to live each day, in all of its fullness. [bctt tweet=”It takes purposefulness and concentration to live each day, in all of its fullness.” via=”no”]

Those who can turn that purpose and concentration into a daily habit will enjoy the gift of life and leadership in ways they’ve never before imagined.