Age of Empathy

We publish high-quality personal essays, humor essays, and writer interviews. Our goal is to provide a place for experienced writers to share authentic stories and connect with others, collectively celebrating a common passion, striving toward an age of empathy.

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How to Define an Excellent Life (No Self-Help Bro Advice Here)

7 min readDec 27, 2022

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“Oh me. Oh life”-Walt Whitman Photo by Rl-Ya/Pixabay

As kids, many of us dreamed of secret worlds whispering and beckoning us to their doors. We knew we had a specific purpose yet to be realized. Sweeping epic stories were ours for the taking … we just needed to know where to find them.

We harbored hopes and dreams for our anticipated letter from Hogwarts. We snuck into our grandparents’ wardrobes and looked for Narnia.

With our friends, we explored the forests bordering our neighborhoods. Until the sky darkened to indigo, we played in worlds built from our imaginations. We created entire kingdoms using hundred-year-old cedar trees as our “castles.” We hid behind thousand-year-old oaks to protect ourselves from imaginary enemies.

Most of us aged out of these longings for adventure and excitement. We grew up and “put away childish things.”

But I never really did grow out of the yearning for play and adventure. Intellectually, I know my journey here is part of something greater than myself. Yet secretly, I long to tangibly see significance in each of my days, my steps, my purpose. I know I’m a part of a far greater story than my own, and yet still yearn for the excitement of playing my part.

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Age of Empathy
Age of Empathy

Published in Age of Empathy

We publish high-quality personal essays, humor essays, and writer interviews. Our goal is to provide a place for experienced writers to share authentic stories and connect with others, collectively celebrating a common passion, striving toward an age of empathy.

Sarah Paris
Sarah Paris

Written by Sarah Paris

Author of Signs My Toddler Has a Drinking Problem (humor collection).Freelance writer of all things. Looper features writer. Believer. Adventurer. Semi- funny.