Comments on: The Importance Of Having A Mission http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/09/20/the-importance-of-having-a-mission/ Reflections of a Buddhist Physician Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:49:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Why We Need To Know Why « Happiness in this World http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/09/20/the-importance-of-having-a-mission/#comment-28727 Why We Need To Know Why « Happiness in this World Sun, 14 Nov 2010 23:02:18 +0000 http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/?p=3807#comment-28727 [...] not only to define the meaning of our lives by adopting, whether consciously or unconsciously, an over-arching purpose, but also to understand the reason for almost everything that happens in the course of each day.  [...] [...] not only to define the meaning of our lives by adopting, whether consciously or unconsciously, an over-arching purpose, but also to understand the reason for almost everything that happens in the course of each day.  [...]

]]> By: How To Achieve Balance « Happiness in this World http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/09/20/the-importance-of-having-a-mission/#comment-14813 How To Achieve Balance « Happiness in this World Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:43:37 +0000 http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/?p=3807#comment-14813 [...] and, even more importantly, what not to prioritize (or even agree to do).  Knowing your most basic mission in life is critical.  If asked to commit significant time and energy to something, how else can [...] [...] and, even more importantly, what not to prioritize (or even agree to do).  Knowing your most basic mission in life is critical.  If asked to commit significant time and energy to something, how else can [...]

]]> By: Obsession « Happiness in this World http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/09/20/the-importance-of-having-a-mission/#comment-5733 Obsession « Happiness in this World Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:01:47 +0000 http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/?p=3807#comment-5733 [...] on your greater mission.  As I wrote in an earlier post, The Importance Of Having A Mission, finding and embracing a mission in life will defend you against the sense your life is [...] [...] on your greater mission.  As I wrote in an earlier post, The Importance Of Having A Mission, finding and embracing a mission in life will defend you against the sense your life is [...]

]]> By: HonestChitChat http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/09/20/the-importance-of-having-a-mission/#comment-4192 HonestChitChat Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:02:02 +0000 http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/?p=3807#comment-4192 Beautiful post! I'm sending this to some friends! Thank you! xoxo Beautiful post! I’m sending this to some friends! Thank you!
xoxo

]]> By: David http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/2009/09/20/the-importance-of-having-a-mission/#comment-1480 David Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:07:33 +0000 http://www.happinessinthisworld.com/?p=3807#comment-1480 Alex, I remember a quote or two from Ted Rosenthal's book: "How can I not be among you?" which he wrote as he was dying from leukemia. One thing that stuck with me is "my ambition is to have no ambitions." He meant that to really live in the moment and be in the joy, we must cast off our "missions" or at least that is my interpretation. “Whatever it is you have, you’ve already got. Right there. And it makes that moment an eternity.” It is a beautiful poem of a book and was made into a film in 1970. I learned about it in medical school at McGill in 1990 Montreal with my professor, Dr. Balfour Mount, a surgeon interested in palliative care and who later died of cancer. I struggle with the balance between making life meaningful and productive while leaving time to be in the moment, smell the roses. I wish I had more patience and time for meditation and prefer reading about Buddhism to practicing it. I enjoy your writing. Thank you. <blockquote><em><strong>David</strong>: I think the key, as you point out, is balance. Being skilled at living in the moment is necessary for us to fully enjoy our lives. And yet having an underlying mission—in essence, a fully embraced, self-determined reason for everything we do—charges everything we do with meaning and grants us a sense of satisfaction I believe isn't possible from simply moving from one pleasurable activity to the next. Alex</em></blockquote> Alex, I remember a quote or two from Ted Rosenthal’s book: “How can I not be among you?” which he wrote as he was dying from leukemia. One thing that stuck with me is “my ambition is to have no ambitions.” He meant that to really live in the moment and be in the joy, we must cast off our “missions” or at least that is my interpretation. “Whatever it is you have, you’ve already got. Right there. And it makes that moment an eternity.” It is a beautiful poem of a book and was made into a film in 1970. I learned about it in medical school at McGill in 1990 Montreal with my professor, Dr. Balfour Mount, a surgeon interested in palliative care and who later died of cancer. I struggle with the balance between making life meaningful and productive while leaving time to be in the moment, smell the roses. I wish I had more patience and time for meditation and prefer reading about Buddhism to practicing it. I enjoy your writing. Thank you.

David: I think the key, as you point out, is balance. Being skilled at living in the moment is necessary for us to fully enjoy our lives. And yet having an underlying mission—in essence, a fully embraced, self-determined reason for everything we do—charges everything we do with meaning and grants us a sense of satisfaction I believe isn’t possible from simply moving from one pleasurable activity to the next.

Alex

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