True Joy of Life
This is the true joy of life.
The being used for a purpose
Recognized by yourself as a mighty one.
The being a force of nature
Instead of a feverish, selfish
Little clod of ailments and grievances
Complaining that the world will not
Devote itself to making you happy.
I am of the opinion that my life
Belongs to the whole community
And as long as I live,
It is my privilege to do for it
Whatever I can.
I want to be thoroughly
Used up when I die,
For the harder I work the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no brief candle to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch
Which I've got hold of
For the moment
And I want to make it burn
As brightly as possible before
Handling it on to future generations.
-George Bernard Shaw
I like this--Shaw is so great! There's something so rich in devoting our lives to the world around us--to want to be so "thoroughly used up" for the greater good that it has nothing to do any acknowledgement for the sacrifices made. Truth is most of us would give nothing less because there's this fulfillment in knowing we gave our all for a higher purpose--something so much bigger than us--even if no one ever acknowledges it or understands it. I have a feeling that at the end of our lives, most of us will have no regrets for the lives we've lived or the life AND love we've given away. You included...
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