I love that. It’s so clear. Even if this isn’t precisely the prescription you follow, you can use it as a guide. What are you investing in your spiritual life? What are you putting into the care of your very own soul? This isn’t some kind of leave-this-world-and-only-think-about-eternity thing. You’re in this world and now is the most eternal thing there is. Your life is important. Today is important. Relating to the people you love (and the people you don’t), doing your work and buying the groceries and watering the plants — that’s all important stuff. But your animating essence, your spirit within, is the key to all of it. Success or failure (in any real sense), happiness or lack of same, a charmed life in the here and now and in whatever comes next — that’s soul stuff. That means that things like Matt wrote about — spiritual disciplines such as prayer, spiritual study, fasting — are among the keys to a charmed life that’s real and lasting.

So: take a look at your spiritual life today. How’s it doing? You could even ask people close to you how they think you’re doing. How’s your kindness? How’s your patience? How’s your forgiveness? How’s your self-discipline? How your walking your talk? You won’t be perfect and I won’t be perfect, but that’s not an excuse for slacking off.