The Purpose of Life Is Not To Be Happy...

Photo Credit: Helloquence

“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

I love this quote. Maybe because it really describes what I aspire to be as a person. Do I succeed daily to be this? Um, no because just like most people, I’m a work in progress.

It feels good to do the right thing - even when the recipient of your kindness may not appreciate nor acknowledge that kindness. At the end of the day, we shouldn’t help others while having an ulterior motive of receiving something in return. We should help others because it’s the right thing to do.

Same thing goes with having compassion towards others. We all have challenges in our lives - some more than others, however, if we don’t have compassion, we can’t have patience. If we don’t have patience, we can’t have understanding. And you know where the rest of that scenario goes…

It’s truly a ripple effect - living to make a difference for others goes a long way. Ultimately, I am a firm believer that when striving to live your life in this way, naturally, happiness comes along with it.

Share your thoughts below on what you think the above quote means to you.

Hugs,

Mama K