We had the distinct pleasure of witnessing my nephew married his long-time girlfriend this weekend in South Jersey. The marriage was in their local church and the priest was really incredible in making the wedding very personal. He had asked the bride and groom, during their Pre-Cana, to come up with pillars for their marriage. I can’t remember all five or six of them, but I do remember communication, trust, not always having to be right, patience, and fun. As the priest shared what each pillar meant to the couple and how they had defined it, I thought, ‘What a great exercise to ask a couple to complete before getting married!’ Or anyone, really.

A pillar is a vertical structure of stone, wood, or metal, used as a support for a building. Add without the pillars, the building is compromised and could potentially collapse. So pillars are rather important for a building—or any relationship. They apply at work as well as at home. Have you ever given any thought to what your pillars might be?

Pillars are essentially values, right? We can create pillars for ourselves, for our family, or for work. They can be individual pillars or pillars for a group. Either way, you can see from my nephews wedding how important defining them is. Every year, on their anniversary, I hope they revisit the pillars they defined. Pillars are the equivalent of having a compass—North is defined once your pillars are set. It’s not an exercise that should be overlooked. Knowing your, “North,” is critical.

Let’s GO! WE GOT THIS!
Beth
P.S. Ironically, this spectacular compass was on the floor of the elevator in our hotel!