Trapped in Darkness: How Can It Change Your Life?

Not one of us would trade places with the 33 Chilean miners pulled to safety yesterday after 69 days trapped in a mine. And maybe that’s too bad. According to media reports, many of those men will begin to live their lives very differently.

Their group “career break” has allowed them an enviable perspective. After a long period of time to distill the rhythm and deliberate their life’s choices, many of these men amended how they’ll live if rescued.

• One will marry the woman he’s lived with for 17 years.
• Another vows to put his wife and children first when managing his priorities.
• After spending time in the only career they’ve ever known, some will never mine again.
• Others promise a renewed relationship with God.
• One man will live more honestly. (His wife of 28 years discovered an ongoing affair during this tragedy; his lover met him as he came out of the capsule.)
• And some will not change a damn thing. (This was not mentioned by the media.)

The new iPods each miner received from Steve Jobs will provide a new dimension in their lives. But so will the fame and book deals.

Yet the essence of what has changed these men is their time away from normal lives, allowing contemplation and examination. This is about the power of the self-examined life and the fact that most of us do not take a sufficient and deliberate amount of time to allow that process to take hold.

When we have some illumination about ourselves while sitting at a traffic light, many of us feel quite proud of the “moment of clarity.”  One squeezed-out moment in a frenzied life and check-check – reflection time accomplished.

I reveled in all that I watched yesterday – the international collaboration, the amazing spirit of the Chileans, deeply-felt homecomings, pride, perseverance, joy and tears.

But most of all, I thought about how I might be different if I took 69 days right now to think about me and my choices.  That’s 2 months or so partnering up with my nemesis – “time” – to possibly re-arrange life’s rhythms or create some new moves.

Lately I’m good at mini-sabbaticals, but the idea of a long break floats above me today, and I’m intrigued. It’s as if I’m on the dance floor looking over my partner’s shoulder at a handsome man who’s just cut in.  He’s offering me the chance to change things up.  Should I?