as always, I end w/ a smile after reading your writing for the week...
several thoughts. First, thank you, I now have 2 more books to read. I think that's a thank you - soooo many books to read!! One set of grandparents came from an area of Russia that is now Poland (family history on this is very vague). They came a bit later, as teens, separately, met & married in the US. My dad, Jewish, married my mom, Christian. He was pretty much a scholar, was fluent in 5+ languages, Yiddish was one, thus the high interest on my part of these books.
Regarding purpose, I'll have to use Carl Jung as my inspiration to be a little light. And give full credit to my parents, seeing them both as volunteers in various organizations thru-out my childhood. So I guess it's natural I've now been a volunteer thru-out my adulthood; I'm now 73 & still at it.
My other purpose, as a Christian, but of course I believe it can be lived by anyone, is to ask oneself when making decisions "What would Jesus do?"
It would seem that an ethical sense might help steer one's purpose. And I think that a look back periodically to assess one's accomplishments is a good way to help guide one toward their purpose(s).
I undertook a project 17 years ago which met with so many obstacles along the way. I finally had to evaluate whether the obstacles were trying to defeat the project or trying to enhance my resolve to see it through. Happily, it is thriving today and has enjoyed ever improving changes in leadership.
The purpose and it's execution proved to be very productive.
Regarding the Leo Rosten quote, I have always read that the quote comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson. "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." Am I wrong?
as always, I end w/ a smile after reading your writing for the week...
several thoughts. First, thank you, I now have 2 more books to read. I think that's a thank you - soooo many books to read!! One set of grandparents came from an area of Russia that is now Poland (family history on this is very vague). They came a bit later, as teens, separately, met & married in the US. My dad, Jewish, married my mom, Christian. He was pretty much a scholar, was fluent in 5+ languages, Yiddish was one, thus the high interest on my part of these books.
Regarding purpose, I'll have to use Carl Jung as my inspiration to be a little light. And give full credit to my parents, seeing them both as volunteers in various organizations thru-out my childhood. So I guess it's natural I've now been a volunteer thru-out my adulthood; I'm now 73 & still at it.
My other purpose, as a Christian, but of course I believe it can be lived by anyone, is to ask oneself when making decisions "What would Jesus do?"
It would seem that an ethical sense might help steer one's purpose. And I think that a look back periodically to assess one's accomplishments is a good way to help guide one toward their purpose(s).
Thanks, Mike. Well said.
A great reminder about how to approach life...thank you!!
Thanks for your kind words, Barbara!
Thank you. Good food for thought.
I undertook a project 17 years ago which met with so many obstacles along the way. I finally had to evaluate whether the obstacles were trying to defeat the project or trying to enhance my resolve to see it through. Happily, it is thriving today and has enjoyed ever improving changes in leadership.
The purpose and it's execution proved to be very productive.
Thanks for sharing your great story, Lawrence. Some things do take time!!!
What can I say!
*T*H*A*N*K* *Y*O*U* *M*A*R*D*Y*!!!
My father introduced me to Leo Rosten’s writing at the age of 12! Such happy memories!
Regarding the Leo Rosten quote, I have always read that the quote comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson. "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." Am I wrong?
I just found the answer to my own question: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/11/29/purpose/ It belongs to Rosten, not Emerson. Thanks for opening my eyes.