Editorial October 19, 1998 Issue

Commit to a mission that stirs your soul

William E. Moody

This editorial isn't about politics, although it quotes a prominent political figure. It's actually about our purpose in life—a healing purpose. Here are words from Elizabeth Dole, former United States Secretary of Transportation, in an address earlier this year to students at Smith College: "On whatever path you now choose, I urge you to commit to a mission that stirs your soul. To be truly absorbed releases us from the limitations of ego. It melts the ice of apathy and cynicism. It gives purpose to our freedom and direction to our gifts, turning life into an honorable adventure and a source of joy. And ... it brings fulfillment to our lives" (quoted in The Christian Science Monitor, June 3, 1998).

What if everyone graduating from high school or college, or embarking on a new career, or considering a midlife job change, or simply thinking about what should come next in life, or perhaps retiring from a forty-year span in the work force, took Mrs. Dole's words to heart? The world would likely be a different place. So would our cities, our neighborhoods, and our homes. Our moments and our days would be transformed. Emptiness would go away.

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