One True Joy in Life - Service

One of my man-making heroes, Mark H. in Tucson, brought this wonderful reading to my attention. It's from George Bernard Shaw's work, One True Joy in Life (partly from the Dedicatory Letter, in Man and Superman).

While it will have broad appeal, for me it perfectly describes the call to man-making I and so many others feel.

One True Joy in Life

This is the one true joy in 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 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 handing it on to the future generations.