Once we look back we need to look inside.  I have found that deep within every human being are unique personalities, passions and experiences.  Shakespeare wrote, “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”  I believe he was right.  Discovering these qualities has a dynamic impact on being able to discover who we are as Jobs advised, “connect(ing) them (the dots) looking backwards,” so that we can then move forward in discovering what’s next.

The late founder and innovator of Apple computer thought he had a solution for answering the question, “Who am I?” In his quest to understand life and find the next thing Steve Jobs said, “You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.”  For Jobs, looking back preceded looking forward.

As a culture we are the first generation to have the opportunity to have what some have termed a “second half.”  For most of the last 2000 years the average life span was, depending on the time period, 20-40 years.  In the early 20th century (100 years ago) it was 31.  The average life span in the 1960’s was in the 60’s and today most of us will likely live long into our 80’s.  What an extraordinary opportunity lies before us!  The question is, what are we going to do with those extra 20 years?  We are or have been successful in our professions.  We are or have successfully raised our children.  What will we do with these bonus years that God has seen fit to give to our generation?