SS READING The Joy Of Living A meaningt Life (NAPSA)—*Purpose” is a word that is increasingly in vogue; people want to have a purpose, to find a purpose. Now, a new book examines another dimension of purpose: a large-scale commitment that focuses talents, skills, thoughts and energies in an enduring manner. For 20 years, William Damon has written widely on moral development at all ages of human life. In Noble Purpose: The Joy of Living a Meaningful Life (Templeton Foundation Press, $12.95), he talks about “finding something that you can truly believe in, something so worth accomplishing that you dedicate yourself to it wholeheartedly, without qualm or self-interest...devoting yourself to a cause, or to many causes, that you consider noble purposes.” However, not all purposes are noble. To qualify as noble purpose, the why of the deed, as well as its how, must be guided by a strong moral sense, explains Damon. Finding noble purpose means devoting ourselves to something worth doing and doing it in an honorable manner. Drawing on religious, philosophical and literary writings, Damon defines the qualities that transform purpose into noble purpose. He further guides readers to an understanding of both the psychological and spiritual significance of purpose by examining the idea that “life without purpose is a life wasted.” He shows how people from many cultures throughout PURPOSE The Joyof Living a MeaningfulLife WILLIAM DAMON Introduction by David G. Myers history have pursued noble purposes by answering God’s call as each has heard it, and he looks at the everyday faces of noble purpose—how noble purpose can be found in activities and settings that may seem quite ordinary. Damon points out that noble purpose requires humility. Our purposes should never be a means toward self-aggrandizement, but rather the alignment of self to a higher cause. But where do we find our own noble purpose? How can we be sure it is the right way to spend our time and energy? Damon presents nine principles that can facilitate a quest for purpose and questions we can ask ourselves in order to ensure that our purposeis a noble one. Noble Purpose is available at bookstores or by calling 1-800-6212736. It can also be ordered online at www.templetonpress.org.
