Favorite Inspirational Quotes

It is the people who can do nothing who find nothing to do, and the secret to happiness in this world is not only to be useful, but to be forever elevating one’s uses.

Sarah Orne Jewett

Interesting thought that the secret to happiness is being useful.  Although I believe that only I can make me happy, that it is an inside job, let’s see where this thought leads me.

If I am useful and I know it because I provide a useful function, then I have a place.  I belong somewhere.  People need what I provide.  This gives some purpose to my life knowing I am needed and do something useful.  It makes me feel good and bolsters my self-esteem.

However, I think too many people don’t realize just how useful they are.  How many times do you here a SAHM say, “I’m just a mother.” or “I’m just a housewife.” using older terminology.  I know I did when asked what I do and most people think that pigeonholes me.  Even today, I still say I just work at home not explaining what I really do.  Yet being a mother and taking care of the home is one of the most important functions there is.  Likewise with being a dad, but do you ever hear a guy when asked what he does answer that he’s a dad?

Likewise, another function many look down on is that of trash collector.  I know I think there’s not much future of bettering yourself in the job unless you go into management or start your own company.  But I sure would hate to see our homes and towns if someone wasn’t being useful collecting the garbage.  Collecting trash these days is an important function.

The important key to this quote, I think, is to be forever improving ourselves so our usefulness, what we can do, continues to grow.  Since I firmly believe that learning should never stop, this just makes sense.  I should and will continue to learn more and be able to do more as each day goes by.  Just today I have a new script to learn how to use to help build useful websites.

As for the first part about those who can do nothing having nothing to do, well, that just makes sense too.  If you can nothing, how can you possibly do anything that takes any skill and be useful.  Maybe everyone on the dole should be required to learn some skill that will provide a useful function to society as a whole if they won’t go learn one on their own.  I know of people with supposedly medical conditions on the dole who still can drive cars and clean their houses.  This means they can fulfill a useful function to society rather than be a drain on society.

Next time I hear someone say there’s nothing to do, I’ll tell them to go learn something to do.

Tags: happiness