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Do We Have A Purpose In Life?

Do we have a purpose in life? Great question, isn’t it? I mean, we’re not really here just to eat, sleep, work, pay bills, and die, are we? I like to think we aren’t. I like to think we all have a purpose.

First a quick disclaimer…more of this “why am I here?” thinking is the result of the death of another loved one. I recently had to put down my cat Sparky, who was named in honor of my mother who happened to pass away last year from pancreatic cancer. Sparky was like my mom…full of life, mischievous, smart, fun, and very loving. Losing Sparky just sucked in it’s own sense but also because it brought back many memories of my mother.

So, back to it. Why are we here? I refuse it’s simply to live a structured mechanical life of getting up, working, coming home, rinse, lather, repeat. I’m also trying to grasp what MY role is. I THOUGHT I had a good kick in the butt with my mother’s passing to help me re-evaluate my priorities, my goals, my life. As much as the death sucked, I feel as if I did learn a good bit from it as it helped me look at who I was and who I wanted to be. Personally, I want to leave a good legacy. I want to create things…art, opportunities for a better life for myself and friends, laughter, good memories, etc.

What’s with all the reminders then? Didn’t I get it right after my mother’s passing? Perhaps not. Perhaps thinking about what needs to be done, purging useless stuff from life, setting new plans in motion wasn’t enough. I like to think that I’ve got a good heart and soul and that I’m doing good things already, but maybe it’s not enough.

I liken it to a gifted athlete. They’re fast, strong, agile and have a good eye for the game. On this alone they’re pretty good. But with some good coaching, they can be so much better…they can be the elite of the elite. With good coaching comes a good bit of practice, some breaking down of who you are to instill the fundamentals of the game, to get the mechanics down. This often is the result of breaking down who you are, making you forget old habits and bring in the new ones. So maybe that’s what Sparky’s death was…a more subtle reminder (thank goodness…not sure if I could handle another episode like my mother’s so soon) to break it down, refocus, and find my true purpose in life.

It’s very tough in today’s society to figure out who we are. So much has been compartmentalized and decided for us.
Good at math? Be an engineer.
Good at drawing? Be an artist.
Writing? Be a journalist.

Having these things put in your mind at an early age (which college will you go to?) and then having to follow that career path afterwards. We don’t really have to. We can do whatever we want, but nobody really tells us that. We’re told what we have to do…we aren’t told to follow our passions. Such a cruel twist of fate because when someone is passionate about something, even if they aren’t highly skilled in it, they will more than likely produce better results than working on something they have no passion in.

So what’s your purpose?

  • To create something? A new bridge? A house? Computer program?
  • To entertain someone with your writing? Or your art? Or music? Or acting?
  • To help others? As a counselor? Priest? Doctor?

I think we all have a purpose but we often lose sight of what it is as we live week to week paying for our house and our food. Sit down, slow down, figure out what your purpose is and let’s go for it.