Shuck: When does life begin?

We all have our opinions of when life begins. Many believe that life begins at conception, some think it begins within a certain number of months after conception, and so on. I am not writing a treatise on the physical aspect because it is a very broad subject encompassing many diversified points of view, and religion plays an important role.

Rather, the question that I am pondering is, “When does our life begin after we have gained an amount of wisdom and knowledge about what brings us happiness and a sense of well-being?” What values must we sustain to gain peace and fulfillment? Chasing after the answer to those questions is a lifetime task. When does life really begin as a mature person — as someone who’s trying to find himself, to be free of interruptions and have it all together?

I found a very interesting and thought-provoking quote by author and speaker Neale Donald Walsch, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” If we delve deeply into the meaning of the statement, it affects everyone. Everything we attempt involves a new beginning of some kind. When we do a thing, as seemingly simple as getting out of bed in the morning, even that action causes us to leave our zone of warmth, softness and shelter. All of life is a series of leaving our comfort zones.

Janie had never worked for anyone besides her parents or her husband, but as fate would have it, working for her family came to an end and she was forced to step away from those safe environments and take another route. Janie’s first job was that of a doctor’s assistant. She was so proud of the move, and she felt empowered by the job and its title. She felt so exhilarated that she had been selected for the position. Janie would be able to try her luck under the employment of an outsider from the family. Could she do it, she wondered? Janie started her work with hands shaking and fear belching inside. “What if I fail?” she asked herself. However, Janie was determined to make a go at the job. She had to prove to herself that she could please an employer through her own merits. At every chance during the day, she read over two Bible Scriptures, on which she depended when she needed an ounce of courage. “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13) and, “With God all things are possible,” (Matthew 19:26).

Janie was definitely outside her comfort zone, but she persisted until she became skilled at the job and comfortable with her duties and surroundings. Because she forced herself to perform, while filled with the fear of the unknown — step-by-step, she now possessed the grit to pursue her higher dreams — those of which she thought she would never reach.

To rise up from our comfort zone is necessary if we are to attain our goals and know we can do it. When we think that everything is in place and we’ve arrived, we’re often prone to sit back and take it easy for the rest of our lives. If we take this attitude, we will go backward rather than progress. We must always have a goal in front of us so that our life is constantly renewed on the outside and inside of us.

Life begins anew each day and attaining dreams, completing projects and pursuing friendships are all part of our ongoing journey toward completeness. Whether we like it or not, we can never stop going forward or backward. We may be disabled, ill, depressed and unmotivated, but we can always start, even if our progress is seemingly insignificant. If we feel that we have arrived, look again. If our main goal is to watch what goes on around us and be merely a spectator, that will soon be all that we are able to do because we are constantly called upon to step out of our comfort zone. Knowing that life begins at the end of our comfort zone enables us to keep performing the uncomfortable and moving into our constantly renewed life.

Ellen Shuck holds degrees in psychology, religious education and spiritual direction. She is the author of the book, “Wisdom for the Journey.”