I have just discovered, thanks to brain pickings, The Dairy of Leo Tolstoy – Russian Count and author renown for writing War and Peace.
His diary, an account of his journey in finding purpose, dealing with the moral and existential crisis and being spiritually awakened.
The following excerpt is lifted from a recent article by brain pickings, and has really resonated with me – as it might with you. I need to get my hands on a copy to read in full.
There is something in me which forces me to believe that I was not born to be what other men are… I am grown to maturity, and the season of development is going, or gone, and I am tortured with a hunger … not for fame — I have no desire for fame; I despise it — but for acquiring great influence in the direction of the happiness and benefit of humanity…
I’m definitely not as accomplished as Leo, but in recent years – and maybe it’s been compounded by the recent loss of a friend – I’ve myself asking that there has to be a greater purpose to my life and trawling through teachings of enlightenment to philosophy. I realise I have a strong altruistic nature (hence the chords struck by this excerpt) and, luckily for me, I’ve found this blog and my practice of personal coaching to be heading in the right direction in influencing happiness to the benefit of those around me.
Still, I have yet to achieve philanthropy – my small monthly donation to my chosen charity, though manageable, isn’t enough – and my searching for ways to do more and balance it all is ongoing further making brain pickings‘ article a very welcome find, indeed…
Read the Brain pickings article here.
