Frederick Buechner, born July 11, 1926 is a prolific American writer, whose first-person narrative of Saint Godrin was a Pulitzer Prize nominee. He is an ordained Presbyterian minister and was called ..."one of our finest religious writers" by the London Free Press. I had never read any of his works, but in reading about him and some excerpts of his writing, I would have to agree that he has a beautiful way of putting ideas about God and human experience into words.
I came across a few different variations on this quote in my research about it, one being this: "The place that God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet," which I find to be quite beautiful. I thought it was interesting how this quote changes with those who use it, and I am guessing that some people may have wanted to make it more accessible to everyone without bringing God into it. I have kept the wording of the first time I came across it, which is also the most common version I found.
This particular quote is lovely to me, because of the way it addresses, in an almost mathematical way, that need to find purpose in work you love, while also demonstrating the need for that work to be relevant to the world around you.
So many of us are looking for that "sweet spot" of work as fulfillment and service. When I think about it, it is another demonstration of the exciting, if turbulent, times we are living in. I hope this message finds you in good spirits and on your way to fulfilling work, if you're not already there!
Have a beautiful week!
Harriet
