The Purpose of Life
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Someone once said, “If you aren’t dead, you’re not done.” I took this to heart. Like many in this country and around the world, I marvel at how literally former President Jimmy Carter takes this statement. Even after being diagnosed with cancer, last month he was building houses for Habitat for Humanity in the summer heat when he collapsed.
It turns out he was dehydrated, and it was not his time to go. Rest assured, however, he is going to be doing something when the day of his departure comes. What else is life for anyway?
At the same time, there are people who say, “It’s too late for me. My time to do something has passed.” No it hasn’t. There is always time. There may not be time to become number one in the world in tennis, but if you are alive, you are alive for a reason.
In my lifetime, I have seen enough evidence that we are here on this planet to help each other. That can mean being present for family and friends, and it can mean doing so-called “big things.” The truth is that the small things aren’t small. The impact we make on the people nearest to us can reverberate for generations. We should not diminish the importance of being there for the people we love.
A good question to ask ourselves is, “How can I be useful to my fellow human beings?” The answer to that can lead to living a fuller life. Each answer will be different from other answers, and that is great because we all want different things. We all have different gifts to give.
We don’t have to go any further than our homes to create a better world and add value to another person’s life. If we live alone, we can see what we can do for our neighbor. If we are housebound, we can call others who need to hear a human voice.
What if we all reached out to those nearest to us and helped them solve a problem? What would the world be like then?
That is what I want to know.
Peace and Joy,
photo credit: Helping Hands