Do you ever read the news and feel despair? I do. There is so much trouble in the world. Yet we still have to live our lives and follow our dreams. Mythologist Joseph Campbell wrote that we should “participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world.”

Although we live in this troubled world where many are suffering, and we live with the knowledge that suffering is a part of every life, it’s important, even vital, to follow our creative spirit—to use the talents and abilities we were born with to pursue our goals, find fulfillment, and benefit others.

We can’t let the sorrows of the world drag us down. We have to lift ourselves up and only in that way be able to lift others.

We need to, again in Campbell’s words, “Find a place inside where there’s joy,
and the joy will burn out the pain.”

I don’t think this means we will always be happy. But we will live a life of meaning and purpose. We change our perspective, and we decide to accept whatever life brings while staying the course on our own unfolding, sacred path.

Why is it sacred?

It’s sacred because, as Campbell said, and as great religious traditions teach, we each have a spark of divinity within us.When we follow our inner source of guidance and inspiration, place one foot in front of the next, continue to take steps on our unique path, we are also discovering our personal myth.

In ancient Greece, the word myth meant a story or tale to live by, a story that holds truth, a story which reveals the deeper mysteries of your life. Your myth holds meaning for you.

So, although we can’t cure the world of its sorrows, or even remove all sorrows from our own lives, by following our dreams and using our talents, we create a path on which to move forward and help others to do the same.

“We cannot cure the world of sorrows,
but we can choose to live in joy.” –Joseph Campbell