What Is Your Purpose In Life?

A friend of mine from long ago, high school days posted the following quote on Facebook recently and it struck me as so true.

THE PURPOSE OF LIFE

"I cannot believe that the purpose of life is to be happy. I think the
purpose of life is to be useful, to be responsible, to be compassionate. It is, above all to matter, to count, to stand for something, 
to have made some difference that you lived at all."

Leo Rostent, Writer/Teacher, 1908-1997

Certainly we all want to be happy, but I have to believe that happiness does not come from self-indulgence. As we all know, the world is full of hedonistic individuals who seek to enjoy every pleasure, every luxury, every thrill, but is such decadence the answer to happiness? I doubt it. I have to agree with the quote above. It seems to me that one is most satisfied when he or she is doing a job well, volunteering, or simply helping out on a whim. Happiness comes as a result of doing something constructive in life, something that will help others or set someone’s life in a positive direction. It is easy for anyone to say, “I’m so responsible and terribly compassionate,” but if that doesn’t translate into actions, if the phrase is offered from a hollow distance, then the words are empty.

The world is full of folks who stand for something: teachers, nurses, firefighters, police officers, and doctors are examples of people who have a positive impact on the world every day, and they feel it. I know they do. One need not have a specific profession, however to count for something. People in many jobs and business make it a point to make a difference. Parents, too, working or otherwise, give, give, give, up close and personal; they have purpose, and with that comes joy.

Our world seems extremely cold and angry most days. We constantly are battered by bad news: violence, terror, racism, sexism, homophobia, crooked politics, and more. Yet every once in a while, a story of love and compassion sneaks into a newscast and makes us smile, if just for a moment. Those stories usually tell us about someone, some ordinary individual, being responsible, or compassionate; they tell us about people who have a purpose, who stand for something, and who truly want and do make a difference. Such “feel good” stories lead me to believe the author above is correct. One may not “buy” it of course, but it’s something to ponder.