The Purpose of Life . . .

The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make a difference that you have lived and lived well.’ Ralph Waldo EmersonThese are powerful words that are necessary reminders that growth is seldom peaceful and easy. Evolution is serious business and if you have come into this lifetime to grow your soul, then today's quote likely rings all too true.Between reality TV, the ridiculous highlight reel brand of social media shares that the vast majority of society imbibes in, and the photo shopped reality the advertising world envelops us in every day- it is easy to fall into the false belief that ‘everyone else out there is happy…’Call me a pessimist but carte blanche happiness is a dead end road. Struggle is the thing that helps to form the very best parts of who we are. My opinion on this is rather strong- having spent 25 years as a grief therapist, I have watched time and again how the most extreme life circumstances can bring the most extraordinary gifts.Happy is a great thing to strive toward, but do not make happiness alone your goal in life. Let it come in and go out in waves… And when the tides of life bring you into deep waters- on those days, make sure that you are useful, honorable, and compassionate- because when happiness is far away, it is these things that will allow you to be buoyant.