Here’s one I ran across while reading my new book, “Brisingr” (which I finished today, and I’ll be talking more about in an upcoming review of the “Inheritance” books by Christopher Paolini). I’ll avoid any spoilers for those who have yet to read it, other than to say that this is a quote spoken by a very wise, very important elf. He said,
“…..the purpose of life is not to do what we want, but what needs to be done. This is what fate demands of us.”
While I’m all for doing what I want and goofing off, sometimes it’s good to remember that there are things that need doing in our lives. I’m not sure if we were put on this planet for a reason, or if there is such a thing as “fate”, but that fact is that if we’re here, we might as well accomplish something. There are things we can do to improve the world around us, and personally I’d like to think that doing those things is the reason why we’re born. Avoid those tasks, avoid doing anything of significance that can improve the lives of others, then what reason does one have to be alive? I like to think that I know what I have to do to improve said lives, what “needs to be done”. If striving to do that is what “fate” demands of me…then I guess fate isn’t all that scary. In fact, I think I’ll go on record and say that if that’s fate, I welcome it. Yay for fate! 
P.S. The task I mentioned that I think I need to do (which I also want to do), is to help people find something precious…a good book. I love books, and I want to work in a profession where I’ll have the daily satisfaction of helping people find a good story, or whatever sort of information they require. I’ll be talking more about this goal of mine in a future entry.
