If you recall the happiest moments in your life, they are all from when you were doing something for somebody else.
Interpretation
True happiness often comes from acts of kindness towards others.
This quote by Desmond Tutu highlights the idea that the most joyful moments in our lives are frequently associated with selfless actions. When we dedicate our time and efforts to help others, we cultivate a sense of fulfillment and connection, reinforcing the importance of community and altruism in our personal happiness.
In practice
During a speech about community service, one could use this quote to emphasize the joy of giving back.
The fossil reserves that have already been discovered exceed what can ever be safely used. Yet companies spend half a trillion dollars each year searching for more fuel. They should redirect this money toward developing clean energy solutions
As much as the world has an instinct for evil and is a breeding ground for genocide, holocaust, slavery, racism, war, oppression, and injustice, the world has an even greateer instinct for goodness, rebirth, mercy, beauty, truth, freedom and love.
When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.
Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are.
Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.
Gaza is going to test who believes in the worth of human beings.
Let yourself go, the pleasure of physical movement is so important. If that's a problem, you say to yourself, what is there that I am afraid of, or hiding? Maybe your libido!
Thus happiness depends, as nature shows, less on exterior things than most suppose.
Stay, stay at home, my heart and rest; Home-keeping hearts are happiest.
For, if we take an examination of what is generally understood by happiness, as it has respect either to the understanding or the senses, we shall find all its properties and adjuncts will herd under this short definition: that it is a perpetual possession of being well deceived.
To be stupid, selfish, and have good health are three requirements for happiness, though if stupidity is lacking, all is lost.
I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.