A lesson from Einstein

Ihave always been fascinated by Albert Einstein. I admire not only his amazing intellect but also his search for answers about life’s meaning. While he is best known for his theory of relativity, Einstein remained curious throughout his life. Time Magazine recognized his scientific contributions by naming him “Person of the Century” in 1999.

One of my favorite stories about Einstein happened after he became famous. The great physicist was traveling by train when the conductor came down the aisle punching passengers’ tickets. When he reached Einstein, the great scientist reached into his vest pocket, but his ticket wasn’t there. He felt in each pocket, but found nothing. He opened his briefcase, but it was not there. He even checked the seat beside him, but the ticket was nowhere to be found.

Recognizing his famous passenger, the conductor said, “Dr. Einstein, I know who you are… I’m sure you bought a ticket. Don’t worry about it.” The conductor continued down the aisle, punching other passengers’ tickets. But before moving to the next passenger car, he turned around for one last look at his famous guest, only to see the physicist on his hands and knees searching under his seat for the missing ticket.

He returned and said, “Dr. Einstein, don’t worry, I know who you are; it’s not a problem.” Einstein reportedly said, “Young man, I too know who I am. What I don’t know is where I am going.”

I love this story for multiple reasons. I am also often forgetful, and it reassures me to know that bright people can get distracted and forget simple things. I do that far more often than I want to admit. However, the real point of the story is the importance of knowing who you are and where you are going.

The Bible repeatedly reminds us that life is short. It compares life to a breath, a cloud, a shadow, and even the width of our hand. James 4:14 says, “Your life is like the morning fog –it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” (NLT) These analogies all illustrate that life is short. Because of this, it is wise to know where we are going.

Knowing who you are and where you are going matters. As Einstein illustrated, knowing where we are going requires our attention. Far too many go through life without answering either question, but since life is short, drifting through it is not wise. Please do not reach the end of your life and realize, when it is too late to do anything about it, that you have lived neither well nor with purpose.