“Without knowing what I am and why I am here, life is impossible.”- Leo Tolstoy
Knowing your purpose. How many times have you heard people say, “What is the meaning of life?” or “Why are we here?” Have you ever said it yourself? If you have not yet found yourself questioning your existence, you will. Even if you feel like you understand your purpose for being in this world, you will likely ask this question again. How do I know this? Because our lives, like our world, is changing, ever-unfolding. It is an exciting adventure that you signed up for; you said yes to it. This wasn’t a frivolous incarnation that you took to go to school, go to college, get married have 2.5 kids, or a thriving career, retire, and then die. No, this life you chose was to bring something only you could bring to this world, something that would benefit all of humankind, something that would move us forward in a significant way. You were called, and you answered, to bring something unique and incredible into the lives of those around you before the world’s foundation was laid. Your purpose does not need to be found; it simply needs to be remembered by you.
I have this nail head that often wiggles its way up under the carpet of the stairs in my house. When I walk past it barefoot, though the step is wide, my foot always seems to find it. One day I was putting my daughters’ to bed, and on the way up, we each felt it and remarked that it was back again. Once I got the girls to bed, I walked back down the stairs with the intent of banging it back in place with a hammer, which was in the garage. I walked down the rest of the stairs, and I saw the dingy blue blanket, known as Gee Gee. I knew if I did not run it back upstairs before my youngest realized it was not there, she would be sneaking around the house instead of going to sleep. I quickly ran Gee Gee upstairs and threw it onto her bed and walked back down the stairs, through the kitchen, and into the garage, where I stopped baffled, thinking, “Why am I here?” When that happens to me, I have trained myself to immediately retrace my steps and thoughts. “What was I thinking before I got here?” “Where was I? I was putting the girls to bed.” I walked back through the kitchen and up the stairs, and on the way to the girls’ room, my foot hits the nail right on the head…literally.
How many times has that happened to you? You were on a mission to do something; your body took you where you needed to go, and on the way, you forgot what you were supposed to be doing, or you were distracted by other things that also needed to get done. Here is my point, life is the same exact way. We have a reason for being, but life also gives us additional tasks that sometimes, if we are not careful, keep us from remembering the original reason why we came. Yes, I am here for my children, but what about before I was a mother. What was my purpose then? There are unique talents and abilities that we were all given to contribute to this beautiful world we live in and the people who inhabit it with us. We didn’t come to selfishly acquire, we came to be a beneficial presence and move humankind into a more significant way of being. A way of being that acknowledges all, values all, and loves all. We also came to learn lessons. Through learning lessons, we develop the skills that we need to do the job we came to do. Everything that has happened in your life has a purpose. Nothing happens by accident, no tragedy is wasted, it is all perfectly orchestrated to remind us who we really are and what we came to bring to the world. Make no mistake, we came to make a difference.
This is the great human adventure! We emerged into this experience already with unique identities and abilities and a mission that only we can achieve. Think of some of the great influencers of our world; Mother Theresa, Albert Einstien, Maya Angelou, Ghandi. Countless others have propelled us forward in new developments and new ways of being that have transformed how we live and interact with one another. Their names are remembered because they remembered that they came to do something memorable. We often call them heroes, but they are no different than you and me! At some point, they walked into a room or a situation and asked the question…why am I here? Then took a journey to find themselves, to find their reason for being, and they followed where their guidance led them; to their eternal inner self, the source of their very life. When you face the truth of why you are here, when you consult the source of your being, all things will fall into place.
“This above all: to thine own self be true
And it must follow, as the night the day”
-William Shakespeare
I can’t help but wonder if the situation that we currently find ourselves is a huge love offering to give us moments to retrace our steps and remember our purpose for being. To love and care for one another. To inspire and encourage other fellow travelers. To remember that we are here to move forward and not backward. To value all of creation equally. To stop placing power over people. To release fear to see peace reign in our world, to remember We Are One. This is my purpose and desire. In all that I do, to teach others to heal, as I have so that we can heal our world.
Maybe you are a painter, and you were designed to inspire people to see the beauty in the world around us and teach others to do the same. Perhaps you are a healer, and your gift is that of compassion and care for others. I am so thankful for all of the healers who are selflessly taking care of others right now. Maybe your gift is to find innovative ways to bring medical advancements that help people. Maybe you are a visionary that sees the flaw in monetizing people and resources, and you are here to inspire people to see there is another way. Perhaps you are an athlete that inspires others to train their physical body. To show that we can push the limitations of their physical body and do amazing things. We all have a passion and purpose for being. As we take time away from distractions, we can remember who we are and why we came. When we do this, we possess the ability to transform our world.
Now is a great time to ask, why am I here, and then begin exploring the themes of your life. The hardships/lessons, passions, and talents; it is all about self-discovery and purpose. It is all a beautiful journey back home to you.