Doing and Not Doing

"Action, just as silence and the word, can help us to claim and celebrate our true self. But here again we need discipline, because the world in which we live says, 'Do this, do that, go here, go there, meet him, meet her.'

"Busyness has become a sign of importance. Having much to do, many places to go, and countless people to meet gives us status and even fame. However, being busy can lead us away from our true vocation and prevent us from drinking our cup...

"It is not easy to distinguish between doing what we are called to do and doing what we want to do. Our many wants can easily distract us from our true action. True action leads us to our true vocation.

"Whether we work in an office, travel the world, write books or make films, care for the poor, offer leadership, or fulfill unspectacular tasks, the question is not 'What do I most want?' but 'What is my vocation?'

"The most prestigious position in society can be an expression of obedience to our call as well as a sign of our refusal to hear that call, and the least prestigious position, too, can be a response to our vocation as well as a way to avoid it." -Henri J. M. Nouwen, Can You Drink the Cup?