The Measure of Your Value (Monday Moment ep. 913)

The final day of filming SOUL ON FIRE began before 5 a.m. on Friday. It ended 19 hours later, getting home after midnight. It was a beautiful, exhausting, unforgettable day. We filmed some of the most iconic scenes in the movie, including my graduation from St. Louis University and Beth and I's wedding at the Shrine of Saint Joseph. After countless loops of Sweet Caroline, it eventually went silent. Sean McNamara rose from his director's chair, took off his headset and proclaimed loudly, "That's a wrap!" After eight years of effort, the movie had been filmed. Throughout that long day, my phone never stopped buzzing. By the time I went to bed, it had logged 250 text messages. Then Monday arrived. I rolled over, looked down at my phone and squinted. Hmmm. Strange. Zero messages. By noon there were a total of three. Two were from Beth reminding me to take the trash out. The sudden change made me realize something about what truly makes a life meaningful. Let me explain.