Saturday, September 11, 2021
Many people struggle with identifying their purpose in life. But I’m not sure we can boil down life into a singular, overall purpose. Think of it. If you are a mother, then your purpose, when caring for a child, is that child’s needs as they arise. If you are a teacher, when you are in the classroom, your purpose is to attend to the needs of learning and communication as those needs arise. As individuals, our purpose is to care for our needs as they arise – hunger, rest, exercise, etc. If you aren’t paying attention to those needs as they arise, you aren’t fulfilling your purpose in the moment at hand. One way to contemplate this notion of purpose is by asking at any point of the day, “What is the purpose of this moment?” Whatever it is, attend to it and fully devote your attention to it, even if it’s just as simple as reading, driving, or walking.
When we slice time into smaller segments, and we focus on the needs of the present moment, we get closer to what real purpose is. They key to micro-purposes, if you will, is that we do everything intentionally and we pay close attention to the needs of the moment. There is great peace and reward when we take each activity and do them with a deliberate intention, rather than with compulsive unconsciousness.
Practice deliberate intention today, and make that become your purpose. The reward of deliberate attention allows you to do anything you want, if only you focus on it intentionally. Being purposeful is your purpose. If you pay attention to the needs of the moment at hand, and take them one by one, you’ll be amazed at how the overall quality of life will improve. Practice being deliberate in your words and actions today, and fulfill your greatest purpose – the purpose of attending to the needs of this moment. Being purposeful is beautiful; it’s simple; it’s peaceful; and it’s easy to miss.