The experience of faith in the young professional.

In Willa Cather's novel, My Antonia, the narrator makes the following observation about his friend, Antonia, upon seeing her for the first time in many years:

“I was thinking, as I watched her, how little it mattered—about her teeth, for instance. I know so many women who have kept all the things that she had lost, but whose inner glow has faded. Whatever else was gone, Antonia had not lost the fire of life.”
~ My Antonia by Willa Cather

As young adults, we are provoked by this sentiment from Willa Cather's novel. As we look around us, we see many friends and colleagues who seem to be settling for less, who are losing this love, this urgency for life. On the other hand, we seek to retain this "fire of life" and become even more alive, more ourselves, as we begin our professional lives and vocations. Though many of us are on vastly different paths, the desires of our hearts are similar. The desire to be excellent in our roles as teachers, doctors, husbands, and wives presses on us with an urgency. We find that the questions that arise are not questions of self-identity, but questions of our purpose within our jobs and as young adults in the world.

How do we as young adults live such that we do not dim, dull, or attempt to put out the fire of life? These years are crucial for setting the stage for a life where we are engaged and fully alive.

How does your faith shape your life?

Questions for reflection

What is the work that you do? What has been your experience of your work? What do you hope for in your work? What do you see happening in those around you?
What role does the question “will this life be good?” play in your life (if at all)?
Greatness is something we are called to in all aspects of our life. What is the nature of greatness for your work and/or vocation? How do we not simply settle for "success" (or even accept "failure") and remain on a path that embraces life and seeks to ever live more fully?
What does it mean to create community in these years of our life? What are the criteria with which we build community? Are there peers that have helped you to stay passionate and engaged with life? What is the nature of those friendships? What is the nature of solitude and loneliness in your experience. Has it been an obstacle? Has it helped to keep you "alive" or "full or life"?
Are there any books, songs, or pieces of art that have broken through and given you a hope, vision or certainty to move forward in your path?
What are the questions that you find come up most often from your experience in your vocation or work?

How do we not simply settle for "success" and remain on a path that embraces life and seeks to ever live more fully?

James Turrell is an American artist who explores meaning through the use of light. "In the beginning was light" is a central theme in Turrell's pieces, where he harnesses light to create immersive, contemplative spaces.