i was struck by a quote this past weekend from harold kushner in his book living a life that matters. he writes, “our souls are not hungry for fame, comfort, wealth, or power. our souls are hungry for meaning, for the sense that we have figured out how to live so that our lives matter, so that the world will be at least a little bit different for our having passed through it.”
our souls exist for significance and legacy. deep down, we all want to know that we have made a difference in somebody’s life. that we have mattered.
one of the key elements in living a life of simplicity is the realization that the accumulation of possessions is not the soul’s greatest desire. when we buy into the significance principle, we are free to remove ourselves from society’s measure of success (big house, nice cars, sweet tv) and begin using our money for the sake of touching someone else’s life. we can transition from living life for myself and instead, live it for others.
maybe then, our heart will be truly full, even if our cupboards aren’t.
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