I’ve started reading my friend Alex McManus’ book called FutureU: Forging a Path to Your Most Heroic Self.
In one section, he discusses how essential the bundle of purpose, meaning, and hope is in our lives. Many people struggle to find meaning and purpose, and thus hope becomes deficient (or non-existent) as a result.
“The need for purpose lies at the heart of what it means to be human. In ancient Greece, Aristotle asserted that the highest purpose of human life is to achieve Eudaimonia, that is, “happiness” or “flourishing.” For Aristotle, eudaimonia was not about pleasure but about living well, in accordance with virtue.”
– Alex McManus, FutureU, page 33
Intrigued, I looked up eudaimonia for further exploration. It’s a Greek word that means “good spirit” or “well-being”. It can also be translated as “happiness” or “welfare”. In Aristotle’s philosophy, eudaimonia was the highest good for humans and the main goal in life. It was distinct from pleasure and was considered to be a life of activity guided by reason.
How does one flourish in life? It’s a big question.
Are you on your way to flourishing? Even at this exact moment.
Just this past Sunday in church, the sermon was on friendship. I wrote down this quote from the message:
“The difference between flourishing and floundering is the circle we surround ourselves with.”
– Rev. Terence Gray, Ward Church, Sunday, October 27, 2024
This has certainly been true in my life. Lifelong friends have been instrumental to my growth and flourishing as a person. The roots go deep. They shape who you are and who you can become. Traveling with trusted, faithful companions has been a true gift and blessing. I pray this over my kids all the time.
Then I remembered an excellent definition I heard once of Shalom:
A universal flourishing.
Shalom is obviously a loaded, heavy word. One pregnant with meaning.
With this ancient Hebrew word, we often immediately go to “peace” as a definition. A state of being that is complete, whole, lacking nothing. (Interestingly, the word “prosper” suggests being on a journey towards wholeness and completeness. See 3 John 1:2). It may take a while, it is a journey…
Besides peace, shalom is connected to prosperity, greeting, welfare, safety, and possessing an inner tranquility.
Shalom, to me, is God’s original plan, the main intention and idea! Universal flourishing, joyful wonder, completeness, well-being, health, wholeness and delight. There’s a lot there, and it goes beyond basic happiness, but happiness isn’t bad!
But Shalom is deeper, richer and more satisfying. I pray it’s attainable to you, and not elusive.
Humanity was made in God’s image, fully human, connected to beauty and nature, with a deep, rich, pervasive peace. Why? Because this is what it looks like when we are in right relationship with God. In tune with nature and creation, with each other, and with our Creator. It’s a slow and steady process that happens over a lifetime. It’s a beautiful existence. Take a deep breath and imagine it.
Shalom, I believe, is God’s original concept and design for us. The whole point behind this thing we call life. Plus, it makes you happy. I think this is what Aristotle was arriving at with his assessment of eudaimonia. Life as a whole, containing good things. I can see the threads converging.
Live Well. Flourish. With Virtue.