Several months ago, I watched a TEDx talk by the founder of To Write Love On Her Arms. Though I'm familiar with the organization and the work it does to help people who are battling, I knew nothing about how it came to be. I cried like a baby as I watched and listened as founder Jamie Tworkowski spoke of the young female drug addict whose story became the inspiration behind the creation of the organization. Their mission statement includes the following words ... "To Write Love On Her Arms is a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide." The telling of one woman's story grew into a movement that has helped to save so many, many lives.
While Mr. Tworkowski's entire TEDx talk was moving and inspirational, there was one thing he said that really burned itself across my mind and branded itself upon my soul. He was telling the story of the successful six-figure career he walked away from in order to devote himself full-time to TWLOHA, when he said these words, "I needed to be able to bring my heart to work." He was young ... he was making tons of money ... he was successful ... and yet what he really wanted was to bring his heart to work. Obviously since I'm writing this post several months after hearing Mr. Tworkowski's words ... "I needed to be able to bring my heart to work" ... his words not only made an impact on me the night I sat on my couch watching his TEDx talk but they continue to do so now even months later.
As I drove home from work this evening, I was thinking about some conversations I've had this week with different co-workers ... conversations that had absolutely nothing to do with work and absolutely everything to do with hearts. And you know what? Some of those conversations were difficult and some were easy, but every single one of them happened because people brought their hearts to work. Those conversations have caused a question to pound in my brain for the last couple of days ... a question that just won't go away. What if? What if we all bring our hearts to work? What if you bring yours and I bring mine? What if we slow down and take the time to really see the hearts of others, both inside the walls of the office and without as well? What if we bring our hearts to the grocery store? What if we bring our hearts to the doctor's office? What if we bring our hearts to the airport? What if we bring our hearts to the church? What if I bring my heart and you bring your heart? What if?
Have you guessed what the title of tonight's post stands for yet? Bring Your Own Heart. Bring your own heart to work. Bring your own heart to your family. Bring your own heart to your friends. Bring your own heart to everyone you meet. Bring your own heart to you, my friends ... bring your own heart to you. One young man who needed to be able to bring his heart to work did just that ... and the world will never be the same again.
BYOH, friends ... BYOH every single place you go. The world ... your world ... and the world of everyone you meet ... will never be the same again. BYOH ... BYOH ... BYOH. I promise you won't regret it.
While Mr. Tworkowski's entire TEDx talk was moving and inspirational, there was one thing he said that really burned itself across my mind and branded itself upon my soul. He was telling the story of the successful six-figure career he walked away from in order to devote himself full-time to TWLOHA, when he said these words, "I needed to be able to bring my heart to work." He was young ... he was making tons of money ... he was successful ... and yet what he really wanted was to bring his heart to work. Obviously since I'm writing this post several months after hearing Mr. Tworkowski's words ... "I needed to be able to bring my heart to work" ... his words not only made an impact on me the night I sat on my couch watching his TEDx talk but they continue to do so now even months later.
As I drove home from work this evening, I was thinking about some conversations I've had this week with different co-workers ... conversations that had absolutely nothing to do with work and absolutely everything to do with hearts. And you know what? Some of those conversations were difficult and some were easy, but every single one of them happened because people brought their hearts to work. Those conversations have caused a question to pound in my brain for the last couple of days ... a question that just won't go away. What if? What if we all bring our hearts to work? What if you bring yours and I bring mine? What if we slow down and take the time to really see the hearts of others, both inside the walls of the office and without as well? What if we bring our hearts to the grocery store? What if we bring our hearts to the doctor's office? What if we bring our hearts to the airport? What if we bring our hearts to the church? What if I bring my heart and you bring your heart? What if?
Have you guessed what the title of tonight's post stands for yet? Bring Your Own Heart. Bring your own heart to work. Bring your own heart to your family. Bring your own heart to your friends. Bring your own heart to everyone you meet. Bring your own heart to you, my friends ... bring your own heart to you. One young man who needed to be able to bring his heart to work did just that ... and the world will never be the same again.
BYOH, friends ... BYOH every single place you go. The world ... your world ... and the world of everyone you meet ... will never be the same again. BYOH ... BYOH ... BYOH. I promise you won't regret it.
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