George Bernard Shaw on "Joy and Service"

This is the true joy in life --- the being used for a purpose
recognized by yourself as a mighty one;
the being a force of nature instead of a feverish,
selfish little clod of ailments and grievances,
complaining that the world will not devote itself
to making you happy.

I am of the opinion that my life
belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live,
it is my priviledge to do for it whatever I can.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die,
for the harder I work the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake.
Life is no "brief candle" to me.
It is a sort of splendid torch
which I've got to hold up for the moment,
and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible
before handing it on to future generations,