George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950), the inimitable Irish-born comic dramatist, playwright, literary critic and socialist propagandist won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1925. He also found time to write this timeless piece of poetry which we might all take heed of as we write our own "bucket list".
True Joy of Life
This is the true joy of life.
The being used for a purpose
recognized by yourself as a mighty one.
The 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
whatever 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've got hold of
for the moment
and I want to make it burn
as brightly as possible before
handling it on to future generations.
Mr. Shaw was certainly committed to living his life to the fullest. His True Joy of Life inspires us all to do the same.
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