Great read - made me think of the Buddhist Eight Fold Path (my husband is Buddhist) - one of which is ‘Right Livelihood’. I derived a great deal of satisfaction from my previous career as a midwife. I am a Druid and the equivalent for us is ‘Service’. Our work/career often has a point of divergence - my husband was an architect and chose to build ‘council’ houses and elderly care homes rather than ‘gin palaces’. I know someone who as a law student had the choice to pursue human rights or corporate law at one point. I believe that for too many it is lifestyle that is chosen over fulfilment - the choice led by economics rather than peace of mind. I feel privileged to have never been driven by anything other than what intuitively felt ‘right livelihood’.
This piece really resonated with me. Someone very close to me recently died very suddenly. He had lofty ambitions, achieving most of them in his short life. His aspirations were mentioned at his funeral, but the stories of small individual offerings of kindness to others were remembered above all else. Never underestimate how meaningful service and genuine interest in the well-being of others is; it changes individuals, and the ripple effects last longer than we can imagine.
This piece was incredibly powerful. The last line, "Let our lives be an ode to humanity and the many virtues that guard it from losing its sheen," literally blurred my eyes with emotion. The push and pull of the ego desperate to find its healthy seat in life is quite an experience, indeed. Gorgeous writing.
"The most enduring form of purpose lies in how we harness our own circumstances and resources to create sustainable change no matter how big or small, to advance the universal development of humanity." Love this. I think one thing many people struggle with is feeling that they should be doing something bigger. It's hard for the ego to accept that everything we do in our lives, even or maybe especially when unnoticed by the wider world, leaves something behind.
"I’d be in a perennial search for that next seductively unattainable dream to appropriate as my new purpose." I would like to offer a complement to what you've said. You can be in search for purpose while accepting that you will still require a certain level of novelty, innovation and creativity in your life. My archetype is Architect and I had to realize what you described is a very deep part of who I am. I have found that constant learning is required, and much of what brings me joy is the process. Once I've "arrived" I tend to leave. All the while no matter what you do can be to fulfill a greater overarching purpose. Don't be too hard on yourself in the meantime 🙂
Great read - made me think of the Buddhist Eight Fold Path (my husband is Buddhist) - one of which is ‘Right Livelihood’. I derived a great deal of satisfaction from my previous career as a midwife. I am a Druid and the equivalent for us is ‘Service’. Our work/career often has a point of divergence - my husband was an architect and chose to build ‘council’ houses and elderly care homes rather than ‘gin palaces’. I know someone who as a law student had the choice to pursue human rights or corporate law at one point. I believe that for too many it is lifestyle that is chosen over fulfilment - the choice led by economics rather than peace of mind. I feel privileged to have never been driven by anything other than what intuitively felt ‘right livelihood’.
This piece really resonated with me. Someone very close to me recently died very suddenly. He had lofty ambitions, achieving most of them in his short life. His aspirations were mentioned at his funeral, but the stories of small individual offerings of kindness to others were remembered above all else. Never underestimate how meaningful service and genuine interest in the well-being of others is; it changes individuals, and the ripple effects last longer than we can imagine.
This piece was incredibly powerful. The last line, "Let our lives be an ode to humanity and the many virtues that guard it from losing its sheen," literally blurred my eyes with emotion. The push and pull of the ego desperate to find its healthy seat in life is quite an experience, indeed. Gorgeous writing.
"The most enduring form of purpose lies in how we harness our own circumstances and resources to create sustainable change no matter how big or small, to advance the universal development of humanity." Love this. I think one thing many people struggle with is feeling that they should be doing something bigger. It's hard for the ego to accept that everything we do in our lives, even or maybe especially when unnoticed by the wider world, leaves something behind.
"I’d be in a perennial search for that next seductively unattainable dream to appropriate as my new purpose." I would like to offer a complement to what you've said. You can be in search for purpose while accepting that you will still require a certain level of novelty, innovation and creativity in your life. My archetype is Architect and I had to realize what you described is a very deep part of who I am. I have found that constant learning is required, and much of what brings me joy is the process. Once I've "arrived" I tend to leave. All the while no matter what you do can be to fulfill a greater overarching purpose. Don't be too hard on yourself in the meantime 🙂