Our lives can be divided into the two metaphorical mountains we climb. And it’s the second mountain where we often find our meaning and purpose, according to David Brooks.
The New York Times columnist, author, and frequent commentator on PBS and NPR has a new book named just that: The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, and, in the audio above, he joins Houston Matters producer Michael Hagerty to talk about it.
Despite plenty of success in his career — the first mountain that society emphasizes — Brooks says he was left with the feeling that something was missing. Facing a divorce and an empty nest, he found himself in a valley.
But eventually, finding meaning in life’s second mountain meant committing to ideas and causes bigger than himself — such as family, community, or faith.
Brooks will discuss The Second Mountain at an at-capacity event with the World Affairs Council of Greater Houston on May 23.