This is the interior of the Jerusalem Church in Bruges, Belgium.
A man named Anselmus Adornes embarked on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 1470, and was so moved by what he saw that when he came back he converted his neighborhood church into a miniature version of the Holy Sepulchre - the church that stands over Jesus's crucifixion site.
I'm sharing this photo with you because I just got back from a vacation in Bruges. And this church had a special energy. I couldn’t help imagining this man traveling all those thousands of kilometers – braving high seas, the desert, possibly even marauding Bedouins. Adornes not only made the journey, but was also very successful in his lifetime. His family crest stands above the upper altar. It reads:
"Je Marche Droit." (I walk straight)
That got me to thinking: If you had to synthesize your story, to boil it down into just a few poignant words, what would it say? Think about all the hardships you've faced, all the lessons you've learned, your core values, and what keeps you strong in times of need. Brevity is key.
It’s a fun exercise to discover your core values.
By the way, mine is: “Labor for Levity.”