Flourishing: adjective – Growing vigorously; thriving; prosperous. In the Greek language and the goal of many ancient Greeks this is known as: Eudaimonia (pronounced yoo-dy-MOH-nee-ah) Literal Translation: The word combines eu- (“good”) and daimon (“spirit” or “deity”). It literally means the condition of having a good guardian spirit. However, in philosophy, it means human flourishing, well-being, and living a deeply meaningful and fulfilling life. For philosophers like Aristotle, eudaimonia is the highest human good—the only thing we desire for its own sake, rather than as a means to get something else (like money or fame). Notice that this is a much different goal than the American adage of: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. This is a holistic or comprehensive approach to human existence which basically meant that the role or objective of a citizen was to reach for and struggle to obtain their highest level of competence. This includes, but is not limited to: health & exercise, bodily strength and beauty, acquisition of knowledge and intelligence, rhetoric and conversation, art appreciation and involvement, political engagement, and military service if and when required. Ancient Western education, rooted in Greece and Rome, was designed to cultivate active citizens and critical thinkers. Built on the Liberal Arts, this system focused on the Trivium (grammar, logic, and rhetoric) and the Quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy) to prepare students for public and civic life. Notice that the beginning of education was how to communicate and to reason critically. Unfortunately, education was extremely limited to an incredibly small section of society, probably only a few percent of the population. No doubt we live in an entirely dissimilar world than ancient Greece and Rome, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that the goals of human existence have to be different. Just close your eyes and imagine yourself flourishing, expanding, developing, and challenging your innate capacities to reach new heights each and every day. This is doable if we just wake up every day reflecting on where we can take ourselves, with whatever energy and determination we can muster, and be ever grateful for this opportunity awarded to our species!