This has been weighing on me lately - what is my purpose? I feel I've lost balance and sight of what I used to feel so strongly about. I feel that life easily does this to many of us with hectic schedules, late work hours, and then unexpected, unpleasant events. The devil's handiwork may be idle hands, but I also believe that busyness distracts us from our full, true purposes. It keeps us so focused on our to-do list, that we lose sight of the daily opportunities we have to make a difference and show our purpose. And our purpose, I feel is very simple.....
Love. We are to show such a love, that people almost seem to question us on why we are the way we are. Love is the simplest purpose, but probably the most difficult to commit to show. We may think we know how to love, and we may think we are pretty good at it - but when we commit to showing love to strangers, to possibly stressed out and difficult people we don't have any ties to - THAT is when our capabilities to show love are tested. Maybe that's why we don't do it more, or lose that energy in the beginning to do so - we feel those that don't appreciate it or scoff at it drain our will to show that love....but it shouldn't be about what you get in return from living your purpose, but the peace you may find from actually knowing and living your purpose. Living your life truly fulfilled.
I mean, most of our lives what we do and what motivates us is to somehow receive or feel loved and do show love to those for which we care. We chase it; we crave it; the lack of it makes us feel lonely and depressed. We are wired to want and need love. I've read that for proper mental and emotional health, we even need so many hugs a day - I think Virginia Satir said it - "We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth." Whether that is completely true is up for debate, but usually a hug does nothing but help others and us. I think it just shows this point that I tend to get too busy to remember - that HOW we interact with others around us is more important than how many interactions we have. That the interactions with others are more important than our to-do lists and our busyness. If we chase love, but don't show it - then we create the loneliness and sadness in ourselves. If love is one of the main things we crave, then we also need to do our part to fill that need. The quality of showing love is immense. There has to be an intent, a choice, every moment of the day or we'll end up allowing ourselves to get so busy that we'll be distracted or blinded by the opportunities to enhance someone's life. It has to be as deliberate as that to-do list I make often. It has to be as unwavering as my commitment to my work schedule. And I need to show it to more than just my loved ones or friends....to more than just my circle of known people for that is too safe and guarded of a love. It waters down that purpose.
For me, the motivator for this is my faith in God - whether you have this faith or not, I remain respectful...so please remain respectful of my view as well. God IS love and we of faith are to be like Him. That simple. Yet that profound. Have you really tried to put yourself out there...be vulnerable and show love....to someone you don't know? And not judging who may be deserving of that show of love...but just to give it?
And it doesn't require a huge grand gesture, a lot of money, or even a lot of time out of our busy schedule. It could be a smile, or a genuine "hello" or "how are you?" ....it could be as time consuming and involved as you choose for it to be - but it isn't as inconvenient as you may think. Plus, you may likely also get something out of the interaction. I once handed out flowers in NYC on my way to a conference - just 12 of them, but it was shocking to me how guarded we all have become when love and care is really what we all want...we just aren't used to getting that anymore without strings and especially from strangers. Most people initially refused because they thought I was trying to sell them, then when I told them they were free they either looked at me like I was demented, like I potentially poisoned the pollen or something, or they asked me why. And when they found out it was just because - the smile on their faces alone was enough to make me feel that love too.
Trust me - you're not going to run out of love by giving it. I honestly think that is the only way we truly feel loved and emotionally full. It may seem energy consuming and hard to muster up that strength at times, but the more you do it - the easier and more instinctual it will become. The more energy giving it is. For that is where our purpose is.
So I encourage whoever is reading this to think about ways they can show more love. Make a to-do list for this, make deliberate choices. And then also when your heart is being tugged in someone's direction, follow it. YOU can create miracles for others and YOU can make a difference in this world by simple act of showing love. And by doing so, you may witness a miracle of your own as well. A changing of your soul and outlook. A fulfilled purpose.
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