What is a successful life? How can I get my bearings in my own life?

In all cultures, stories are told about famous people's lives to encourage reflection on what is important for a good life. In Sweden, there is currently much interest in Dag Hammarskjold that can be seen in the ever-growing number of new books and articles that discuss his spiritual path and political achievements. Hammarskjöld literature can be said to fulfil a similar function to the one that stories of the Christian saints filled throughout the centuries. We humans seek and find examples of other people – living and dead. Every village and every town tells in speech and writing about their ‘saints’ or anti-saints – about those considered to have led a memorable life and of those whose life is judged as a failure. We interpret our life and life challenges in light of the lives of others. We need such stories to orient ourselves in this world.

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