Is That All There Is?

Yes, that's a line from a song that was pretty popular when I was young a long time ago! It jumped to my mind as a title for this entry because of a conversation I had recently with someone.
I was speaking to a coworker, outside of business hours, who lives and works in another state. As I listened to them describe where they lived, the value of their home, and a couple of other things, I wondered to myself, 'Is that really all we've come to?' Am I really going to let myself be defined by what I own, where I live, or any job title I might hold now or in the future? 
I don't care about the value of someone's home, or where that home is situated, nor their job title in the workplace. What I'm looking at is the content of their character. What they use to define the anthem of their heart. How they choose to live and view life. And in what or whom they place their faith or trust. 
I've got some rough road ahead of me in the very near future. Big decisions to make. Irons in the fire of my life that are just about ready to come out and brand, if you will, the next phase of my life. All that speaks to is that if we're alive, we're changing, or at least, our life circumstances are doing so. No matter what stage or phase of life I am in, what defines me, or what I hope defines me, is the content of my character. That is the constant that moves with me through each phase, each transition, each new chapter. When a roadblock appears seemingly out of nowhere, how do I react? Do I sit in the middle of my life's road, wringing my hands in agony, or do I press on, straining to see what's beyond the monolith ahead? 
For me, to be a true friend involves exposing the content of your heart. That can be dangerous, because sometimes, once it's shown, it gets trampled upon or even simply ignored as if that information holds no intrinsic value. Often, in today's society, it doesn't to others because we've been so conditioned to value the outward and ignore the deeply meaningful. 
Look for the lessons coming your way. Internalize them. Learn and grow from them. I'm trying to do these things. I am not always successful, but when I am, it changes my outlook!