“Our culture has engaged in a Faustian bargain in which we trade our genius and artistry for stability.” — Seth Godin

All this time
The river flowed
Endlessly to the sea
— Sting, All This Time

I found myself at a bank yesterday reviewing a trust built to support the children of a friend who passed away eight years ago. That trust has gotten them through college, which was the desired intent and exactly what we’d promised our friend we’d do when he was confronted with an expiration date he couldn’t re-negotiate. We’ve kept our promise to him, and his kids will graduate with minimal college debt. Where the last eight years have gone is anyone’s guess, but the trade of time and effort for a solid foundation for his kids in his absence ended up being a good one.

If I’ve learned anything from that friend of mine, it’s that stability is myth. Resiliency is what carries us through the storms life throws at us. Knowing there will be storms, knowing that the years will fly by with astonishing speed, just what are we doing with our genius and artistry? We must use this time in our lives purposefully, for it’s all that links our promises to ourselves with our desired outcome.

The thing is, we remind ourselves of these things constantly. Words don’t carry us through, positive momentum does. Those small things that we do matter more than promises ever would. The only fair trade is to use the talent and skills we’ve accumulated to this moment to build a bridge to a better tomorrow. This is our verse, today, with tomorrow but a possible chance to reveal that promise kept.