You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments

"You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have truly lived are the moments when you have done things in the spirit of love." These profound words from Henry Drummond call us to reflect on the essence of life and living. So often, we measure our lives by the accomplishments we accumulate, the positions we hold, or the recognition we receive. Yet, Drummond reminds us that the true measure of life is not found in worldly success but in the spirit of love that infuses our actions, our decisions, and our relationships. The moments that define us are those when we act with compassion, selflessness, and care—when we choose to act not out of duty, but from a place of deep, authentic love.

In the ancient traditions of the Greeks, love was the highest calling, the force that connected us to the divine. The philosopher Aristotle, in his writings on ethics, described love as an essential virtue that shapes our very character. True eudaimonia—a flourishing life—is not achieved through the pursuit of external success, but through living in accordance with virtue, and at the heart of virtue is love. Plato, too, in his Symposium, saw love as the force that elevates the soul toward the beautiful and the true, a love that transcends the self and connects us to the higher, eternal forms. Drummond’s insight aligns with this ancient wisdom—love is the very essence of what it means to truly live, to move beyond mere existence and into a life of meaning and purpose.

Consider the life of Socrates, whose devotion to the truth was driven by a love for his fellow humans. Socrates did not seek to accumulate wealth or power, nor did he concern himself with fame. His life was a devotion to service, to helping others find wisdom, and to living in accordance with the highest good. He loved knowledge, yes, but more than that, he loved the soul of each person he encountered, and his willingness to share that love, to offer his wisdom freely, is what made him truly great. Socrates’ life teaches us that living is not about what we gain for ourselves, but what we offer to the world in the spirit of love. It is in these acts of selfless love that we find the true meaning of life.

Similarly, the life of Mother Teresa provides another powerful example of Drummond’s words in action. Her life was devoted to the care and love of the poorest, the sick, and the suffering, and in doing so, she truly lived in a way that touched countless lives. Her work was not about recognition, but about the love she gave to the most vulnerable members of society. The moments when she was most alive were those when she acted out of deep compassion, when she offered love without expectation or condition. Mother Teresa’s legacy reminds us that the greatest moments of living are not those filled with personal achievement, but those where we give our hearts to others in the spirit of love and service.

Drummond’s wisdom also speaks to the fact that love transcends time. When we reflect on our own lives, we do not remember the moments when we accumulated wealth or gained prestige; instead, we remember the moments when we connected with others through love—when we acted with kindness, when we showed up for someone in their time of need, when we forgave or offered compassion without question. These moments are the ones that, when we look back, define us. They are the moments when we are most alive, for in love, we find a depth of meaning that no worldly success can provide.

The lesson Drummond offers is one of perspective. To truly live, we must act from the spirit of love. We must choose to engage with the world not through the lens of self-interest or competition, but through a lens of compassion and connection. The moments that matter most in life are those that are shaped by our willingness to give, to serve, and to love. It is in these moments that we find the truest expression of what it means to be human, to transcend the mundane, and to touch the divine.

In your own life, strive to cultivate the spirit of love in everything you do. Do not wait for grand gestures or dramatic moments to make your mark, but find the sacred in the ordinary, in the everyday opportunities to serve and connect with others. Offer your love freely and without condition, and in doing so, you will discover that it is through love that you truly live. Let love be the lens through which you view the world, and you will find that, in the end, it is love that shapes the legacy of a life well-lived.