Short story: A new boss motivates Jack to change for the better
By emptychair
@innertalks (23745)
Australia
June 25, 2023 10:54pm CST
Jack Ludlick, was a man of varied interests, but most of his interests were self-interests.
His life centred around himself.
Jack had no interest in going within, and contacting his inner self, to allow him to develop spiritually in his life.
He laughed at other's attempts for him to try to raise his awareness, and consciousness, above the mundane fulfilling of only his own pursuits, and interests.
He did not feel harnessed, restricted, or undeveloped, as himself, and he couldn't care less about himself being developed along these lines anyway.
Then, one day, a lady came into his life. She was his new boss at work.
She wanted to develop all under her to be well-rounded individuals, and to be whole human beings, with a spiritual side to them too.
Susan Herlick told Jack that he was more, or less, committing suicide with his life, by his not developing, and acknowledging, his spiritual side.
His life was a selfish one, with attachments to worldly goals, and pursuits, rather than to create for himself an inner unity to God.
She told him that someone who becomes one with truth, lives on forever, as truth, never dies. Death of the body is not death of the inner self, or soul. Our soul just crosses into another dimension of living in another world, of love, truth, and God.
Of course, Jack wanted to get along with his new boss, and so, he tried to adopt these new ideas of Susan's.
He cut out some of his old interests, and he joined a group of volunteers, who would go to nursing homes, and sing the old ballads to the folk there.
Jack found that he had a great voice, and he loved singing to people who would listen, and hang on the words, that he was singing to them.
And so, Jack changed his life around, and he became a much better, more well-rounded person, for his doing so.
And, another plus in his life was that he found people becoming more attracted to his new way of living, whereas before they mostly had left him alone to pursue selfishly, standoffishly, only his own interests.
Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com
Jack now enjoyed the peacefulness of just watching, rather than always doing too.
7 people like this
6 responses
@Shiva49 (28402)
• Singapore
27 Jun 23
Yes, we are at times oblivious to our inner yearnings or brush them aside as not worth the pursuit, lost as we are in our mundane ways to earn a living.
Jack just needed the prompt and soon he was well on his way to a higher meaning in his life.
I have found many are lost as they have none to goad them to step out of their routine,
And they end up regretting the lost opportunities while those less endowed step up by meeting the right people at the right time.
It takes some effort for me to volunteer, but I have never regretted doing so. It gives the greatest satisfaction.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
Jack's example was a good one, but in some workplaces, the Jacks of the world are still the ones promoted, as the boss, wants a person who is selfishly ruthless at his work too.
In some ways, we need to be ready to change, and want to change, and appreciate the ways to change brought to us by others, as if we ignore advice, we will stay staid in our ways, unchanging.
@Shiva49 (28402)
• Singapore
28 Jun 23
@innertalks I have known a few who were like Jack earlier in his life till he changed course to please his boss.
They were like one-trick ponies fixated on their career. Though they may not admit it, they led lonely lives especially when age caught up. Soon the younger hordes snapped at their heels and they ended up clutching at straws to find meaning in their existence.
I was observing people around me and realized those who were happy were those who helped others progress too. Selfishness serves to isolate.
1 person likes this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
28 Jun 23
@Shiva49 Isolation can be bad when selfishness is attached to it, but sometimes, periods of isolation can bring us peace too.
I had a few head-in-the-sand bosses, when I was in the public service.
They roared at their lackeys to work hard, but never did much themselves. They were not so much fixated on their career, as fixated in being the big boss, in a bossy way.
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
26 Jun 23
@innertalks
Thank you Steve for sharing that story with us. I would say all it takes is one person to come into your life to help you change your ways and become a better person.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
Yes, these days, business people advocate, and advise, for us to have a mentor, that can help us in our fledgling days of our business, and give us some wisdomed advice, that they have gained from a lifetime of learning it.
Yes, one person, the right person, can really make a difference in someone's life.
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
@Hannihar Sometimes, we need to be able to recognize that right person, when they come along too.
The old saying goes, that when the student is ready, his teacher will then appear to him.
@Hannihar (130150)
• Israel
27 Jun 23
@innertalks
Finding that right person is very hard and so glad he found one.
2 people like this
@Jenaisle (16568)
• Philippines
26 Jun 23
It's an inspiring story. People can recognize who you are by the people who are blessed just by being with you. "It is through your actions that men shall know you,' the Bible says.
Being selfish is not bearing good fruit. People should witness how you live your life nobly to be able to emulate you.
2 people like this
@Jenaisle (16568)
• Philippines
26 Jun 23
@innertalks I agree. because I believe that the success of one human being is the success of everyone.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
@Jenaisle Yes, another way of putting that is that everyone wins, or it's a win-win situation.
I have heard it said that when one soul grows a little wiser, every soul benefits from that newly acquired wisdom too. We all grow wiser together.
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
Yes, Jack's actions changed from being only for selfish motives alone, to include others, in what he was doing, altruistically.
When we act right, from a good heart, lovingly, kindly, linking ourselves to others by our actions, all benefit by such connection, instead of just ourselves, when we work just for ourselves with a self-centred mind alone.
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
27 Jun 23
@innertalks I agree. Listening is the first step.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
Yes, often the first step to change is just to listen to someone else advocating the change, instead of not listening, and closing ourselves off to any possible change then too.
@stapllotik (1935)
• India
26 Jun 23
sometimes it takes an external force to make us see the value in exploring our spirituality. By being open-minded and willing to change, Jack not only enriched his own life but also became a positive influence on those around him.
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
Yes, if he had not welcomed the advice, but backed up against it, he would not have changed, and he would not have worked well with his new boss, then either.
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
26 Jun 23
Sometimes, the right person coming into our life, can change us, when nothing else could do so.
@thebos (5960)
• Kisumu, Kenya
27 Jun 23
@innertalks for sure, I hope just to be meeting with right people in my life, like Jesus Christ
2 people like this
@innertalks (23745)
• Australia
27 Jun 23
@thebos Yes, if we do not allow ourselves to meet Jesus Christ in our life, we cannot live a full life of love for God then either. We need to get close to God through his son, or through other messengers of God.
