Following the Path by Joan Chittister. 4.5/5 stars, Inspirational, 192 pages, 2012

This book is meant to give someone in the process of making a life decision at any age—in early adulthood, at the point of middle-age change and later, when we find ourselves at the crossroads without a name—some ideas against which to pit their own minds, their own circumstances. Its purpose, as they wrestle with the process of trying to find and follow their own special call at this new stage of life, is to both provoke thinking and to clarify it. —Joan Chittister
 
In our modern and mobile society, the range of answers to the questions “What am I supposed to do with my life?” and “How do I know when I’ve found my purpose?” can seem endless and overwhelming. Following the Path by Sister Joan brings the insights of her years of teaching and contemplation to bear on this issue, providing readers with a new way forward. Through her examination of spiritual calling and gifts, change and discernment, she leads readers home to the place where, finally, we know we fit, where we are the fullest of ourselves and a gift to the world, a timely and much needed message that many will be happy to hear.

from Goodreads

I loved it. I always get something I need out of Joan Chittister’s books and this one was perfect for me during this transitional time of Gage going back to school after 3 years of homeschooling. When you’re at a crossroads, or even at a place where you’re acknowledging that there’s something unfinished in you, this is a nice read. I read a chapter every morning for a few weeks and it was a nice way to start the day. If any of these quotes resonate with you, get your hands on the book.

“We are all called, in some form and fashion, to give ourselves away so that tomorrow can be better than yesterday for many. We are all called to be reckless, intrepid, conscious philanthropists of the world to come.”

“But it is in our giftedness that our future lies. To be really happy, we must either follow our gifts or find our gifts. Otherwise we run the risk of going to our graves only half alive.”

“Aristotle, the great philosopher of personal development, said happiness depended on developing ourselves to our fullest potential. On becoming the best self we can possibly be…he said happiness depended on our commitment and involvement in ‘virtuous activity.’ In doing good…it’s about doing something that makes the world a better place to be…What fills our heart with happiness, ironically enough, is not what we get out of the world; it’s what we put into it.”

“Enjoyment and happiness are not synonyms. Enjoyment is, at best, an answer to the rigors of routine, it is not the abiding sense of a life we’ll live. That comes with having lived life well at every level and to the very heart of its ultimate meaning.”

“The more equipped I am to distinguish the me I want to be from the me everybody else wants me to be, the more likely I am to become it.”

“What other people require of us leads us to create the masks we present to the world.”

“At the end of the day, at the end of every decision, the measurement criteria must always be whether what I am doing is serving my false self or my true self.”

“Unless I am capable of letting go of the security level to which I have become accustomed, unless I am ready to begin again, the lack of a sense of meaning in the here and now that plagues us with the grace of doubt will die in the wind.”