“There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live.”

John Adams

Imagine life as a double-decker bus journey. The lower deck is the ‘Making a Living’ tour. It’s the practical route, taking us to job applications, interviews, and promotions. It’s the streets we’re told to navigate, loaded with textbooks, spreadsheets, meetings.

Now, hop onto the upper deck, the ‘How to Live’ tour. Here, we’re not taught, we learn. We view the landscapes of empathy, love, compassion, understanding. There’s no curriculum, just life unfolding, the sky overhead, the people around us.

Two decks, one journey. To make the most of the ride, we’ve got to spend time on both levels. Master the art of making a living on the lower deck, but don’t forget to climb the stairs and learn the art of living. Remember, the view from the top is not to be missed.

Stephen Boudreau serves as VP of Brand and Community at Virtuous Software. For over two decades, he has helped nonprofits leverage the digital space to grow their impact. To that end, Stephen co-founded RaiseDonors, a platform that provides nonprofits with technology and experiences that remove barriers to successful online fundraising. He is an avid (but aging) soccer player, audiobook enthusiast, and the heavily-disputed UNO champion of his household.

Copyright ©2023 Stephen Boudreau.