Quotable

A lot of people who know me know that I love quotes. I love quotes that make me think, quotes that make me laugh, quotes that inspire me to do something, etc. There are so many quotes that touch my heart, but there are only a select few that are true "favorites" and have been so for a while.

Today after getting home from classes and debates (which, by the way went well; thanks for the prayers!) I was looking at some quotes I have written down to try to get some perspective on a few things. I stumbled across one of my all-time favorite quotes, and it made me think a little.

“This is the 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 sort of a splendid torch which I have a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it over to future generations.”--George Bernard Shaw

There's a lot of things going on in my life right now. If I listened to what my mind usually tells me, I could go on for pages complaining about boards, classes this semester, my future, relationships I have, situations I'm dealing with, etc. etc., etc..... A lot of this has been on my mind constantly for the past few months. However, when I read this quote, I was reminded of something.....The world is not about me! Not too profound, I know, but I don't want to be a "feverish clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making (me) happy." I didn't start down this path that I'm currently on, hoping it would lead to a life that was all about me. My original goal was to (as cheesy as it sounds) help others. My life doesn't belong to me. First and foremost, it belongs to God and whatever plans He has for it. In those plans, though, I know that my life is to be lived for other people. Even though I can't be out in the medical field just yet serving those who have my heart already, there's service I'm called to do right now.

I took a minute today at school, stopped thinking about my own problems and difficulties, and really looked at the people around me. What are the struggles going on in their life? How can I help them along in their day? What words can I say to encourage them? What small sacrifice would make some difference in their life? Why am I always so caught up in what's going on in my head, and never taking the time to stop and see what's going on with the hundreds of people that surround me?

I can't wait until I'm out of med school and serving (how my mind defines it) to start changing my heart. It's a fairly obvious thing, but I've got to start acting now like the person I want to be in the future.

Life is brief....it is that "torch I have for a moment". Before I pass it on, I want to do all that I possibly can with it. Wasting my time constantly preoccupied with my own concerns benefits no one. New year, new life....it's not about me....it's about being used for that "mighty" purpose.