As promised, I’m shaking things up on the creativity front. Today’s post will be the first in a series for September (yes, a series within a series). Every Friday, I’ll post an inspirational quote that I find intriguing, followed by my brief thoughts about the quote: how I interpret it, whether I agree or disagree with its assertions, deeper thinking on the subject, etc. I’m calling it “Quick-Quote Fridays.”

Today’s Quote: 

“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

Emerson was a very wise man, but I think he misses the point of his own words. To be useful, to have made a difference, to show love to others: those are the marks of happiness. Not the fleeting, giddy happiness of a drunken night or a wild dance, but the permanent, restful contentment that comes from living a life of purpose and service to others.

To my mind, the purpose of life is the pursuit of that deep happiness, which can be found through the repeated giving of love to others and to oneself; through finding a life’s work that is passionate and wholly satisfying; and through continual learning and self-growth.

Do you like or dislike this series? Do you have anything to add to the quote or assessment above? I’d love to hear your thoughts!