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Monday, June 2, 2014

The right place...or not?

Henri Nouwen has some very wise and real things in his books. Here is something that makes a lot of sense to me:

There is not such a thing as the right place or the right job. I can be happy and unhappy in all situations. I am sure of it, because I have been. I have felt distraught and joyful in situations of abundance as well as poverty, in situations of popularity and anonymity, in situations of success and failure. The difference was never based on the situation itself, but always on my state of mind and heart. When I knew that I was walking with the Lord, I always felt happy and at peace. When I was entangled in my own complaints and emotional needs, I always felt restless and divided.*


*Henri Nouwen: Gracias; A Latin American Journal, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, N.Y., 1993

1 comment:

Cathy said...

So true. We are responsible for our own happiness and have a responsibility to contribute to the happiness of others. That said, I think it is also important to periodically evaluate whether the situations we are in are optimal for our development and ability to make meaningful contributions to the world. If not, we should be brave enough to make changes.