Hi friends,
I stumbled upon this clip of Jeff Goldblum on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert where he is asked what keeps him inspired. His response is a quote by George Bernard Shaw*, which I'll share below. (but definitely worth the watch just to hear Goldblum's delivery.)
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little 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 what 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 a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
I keep coming back to it.
As I sit here inspired by this quote, I'm also thinking about how it's Mental Health Month and so many of us are actually struggling. I am still figuring out ways to talk about it, but I've had my own experiences with depression and anxiety and depending on the day, a quote like this can sometimes lift my mood and make me feel empowered. So I thought I'd share. It's obviously not a complete solution, but when I read something like “I rejoice in life for its own sake," it helps me see a new perspective. When I read, “It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment,” I remember how fleeting this all is. And in this particular moment, it helps.
And so… if you're also going through any mental health issues right now and want a supportive friend to chat with, please know my inbox is always open. I may not share too much about this part of myself publicly, but I am always down for some real talk 1:1. ❤️
And now, I'll leave you with 5 things I've been thinking about and loving this week.
(*edited to add, I wrote this email before learning more about George Bernard Shaw and his politics. I considered rewriting the post, but I'll assume my readers can appreciate the nuance here.)
