An update on Aijalon Gomes: CNN World says that he has been visited at a Pyongyang hospital by “U.S. officials.” No details about Aijalon’s health were given (citing “privacy issues”), but the State Department says that there is concern for his health. Once again, a request was made to the DPRK that Aijalon be released on “humanitarian grounds.” That’s like asking a tiger to release its prey, based upon concern for the victim. The upshot is that Aijalon Gomes will continue to be held captive in North Korea until he has been of sufficient benefit to those in power.
Question: What can you and I learn from this saga? What does it have to do with Turnaround Theory, about living our dreams and fulfilling our individual missions? For me, the significance of Aijalon Gomes’ decision to enter North Korea is wrapped up in the Why of the situation–what was his motivation? Was it his deep concern for the people of that country? Was he trying to help Robert Park? Without knowing his “Why”, it is difficult to speak about results. If my goal is to reach Delaware, but I end up in Florida, then I have missed my mark. Yes, I ended up somewhere–but it wasn’t where I was headed. That isn’t necessarily bad, but it is substantially different.
Friedrich Nietzsche wrote that “He who has a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.” Is Aijalon’s Why sufficient to the circumstance? Is yours? Is mine? The RoadTurn takeaway for today is this: How strong is my Why? Will it sustain me through the certain struggles ahead? Will it keep me from despair and enable me to keep on going without giving up? If not–I’d better be searching inside for another Why. It is the fuel for the journey. It is my reason to be.