Purpose:
What's The Purpose?
by Bob Olson, OfSpirit.com Editor
Webster’s Dictionary says that purpose is “the reason for which
something exists.”
It
is not uncommon to hear of an elderly person who passes away shortly after
the loss of their spouse. We sometimes hear this happening after the loss
of their pet. While one could argue that this is merely a coincidence, I
would surmise that they lost their will to live because their spouse or
pet was their last reason for living—their final purpose that gave their
life meaning.
Many
people talk about finding their purpose in life when the truth is that we
each have many purposes, not just one. The more reasons you have for
living, the more meaning you have in your life and the quicker you get up
in the morning. When you lose your reasons for living—when you no longer
feel meaning in your life—you have no purpose to get out of bed each
day.
People
find meaning in their work, in their children, in their partner or spouse,
in their hobbies, in their travels, in their volunteer work or clubs, in
their classes, in their art, writing, crafts, and even in their pets. We
don’t have just one purpose in life; we have a hierarchy of purposes.
Some are more important to us than others, but all fill us with a sense
that our lives are meaningful. Our catalog of purposes teaches us that we
are important in this world, that we have a reason for living; and this
sense of importance gives us our will to live.
As
we get older, our purposes drop off on the wayside. We retire from our
careers. Our children grow up and move away. We either lose interest in
our hobbies or we lose the physical ability to continue them. Our gardens
go to weed and we leave our homes in trade for the elderly community or
nursing home. Sometimes, if our multitude of purposes has dwindled, all we
have left is our spouse or our pet. So when either leaves this world
before us, they leave us alone with no reason to get out of bed in the
morning.
Michelangelo
lived to the age of eighty-nine at a time when most people didn’t make
it to forty. Here is a man who was a sculptor, a poet, a painter and an
inspiration to others. He never lacked a reason to get up in the morning.
He took on huge projects that took years to complete, even in his elderly
years. The Sistine Chapel alone took four years, and he painted it while
lying on his back! But he made a commitment, and that commitment gave his
life purpose.
We
all know a Michelangelo in our life. It is that person who is bound with
vitality. They don’t mope around with their shoulders reaching for the
ground. These are the people who are up early in the morning singing and
whistling and excited about their day. They say hello to their neighbors
and even talk to strangers in the streets. They are fascinated by the
wonders of nature and they seem to feed off the energy of children. Yet,
in reality, it is actually nature and children who feed off their
cheerfulness, verve and spirit for life. And that is why we are attracted
to such purposeful people.
If
you want to feel more alive, commit yourself to purposeful endeavors. A
life without commitments is a life without purpose. A life without purpose
is a life without meaning.
Begin
projects that will take weeks, months or years to accomplish. Accept
responsibilities that you may even regret in the future. Take a stand for
a cause you believe in, and hold true to it regardless of what other
people think. If it fills you with passion for life, then it will balance
off the mundane obligations that once filled your days. Committing
yourself to purposeful endeavors does not just add color to your life; it
is the lifeline that connects you to the Source of all that is beautiful
and meaningful.
If
you are unhappy, give yourself over to making others happy. Do volunteer
work at hospitals, shelters or nursing homes. Visit the sick, elderly or
terminally ill. If you are shy or uncomfortable with people, do the same
for animals. Animal rescue leagues and shelters are filled with cats and
dogs that suffer from a lack of love. Just a simple smile, hug and a
little attention can do wonders to heal and comfort any soul.
It
doesn’t matter what you do. What matters is that you do something.
Whether you help people or pets, create paintings or books, grow gardens
or plants, the only requirement is that you make a commitment and follow
through with a smile. Be willing to open your heart and put love in all
that you do. By simply showing up and following through with your
commitments, your presence, intentions and passion will be felt and
appreciated throughout the world. And the ripple effect you create with
your zest for life will fill your own heart with an abundance of love. In
effect, you will have found happiness from a single purpose. Imagine the
power of several new commitments.
If
a lack of purpose can eliminate our will to live, then adding purpose into
our lives can increase our vitality. It doesn’t matter if we are helping
millions or a single individual, the simple act of making one other
person’s life a little more comfortable, happier or filled with love is
empowering beyond belief because we get back what we give to others. On
the other hand, we can’t give what we don’t have. So your purpose may
be to bring peace and comfort into your own life. This, too, will create a
ripple effect that will influence the entire world. Yet it all begins with
one step—one commitment. Before you are faced with the loss of your
final meaning in life, plan ahead to surround yourself with many reasons
to jump out of bed each morning with enthusiasm!
________________
For more
articles by Bob Olson, visit www.ofspirit.com/bobolson.htm
BOB OLSON is
a former skeptic and private investigator who has researched evidence of
life after death since 1999. He now shares his spiritual insights,
extraordinary experiences and the gifted practitioners he has met along
his journey to assist others with their own spiritual growth. Bob is the
editor of OfSpirit.com
Magazine, GriefAndBelief.com, BestPsychicMediums.com,
& BestPsychicDirectory.com. He is the author of Win The
Battle and How To Beat Depression, plus has written Forewords
for three books: The Complete Idiot's Guide To Communicating With
Spirits, Consult Your Inner Psychic and The Complete Idiot's
Guide To Divining The Future. Bob has also been quoted as an expert in
How To Get A Good Reading By A Psychic Medium and Empowering
Your Life With Angels. To read Bob's latest blog entry, visit www.ofspirit.com/editorsblog.htm
.
