Writes of Courage

Chapter 11: Purpose

I can confidently say that so many of us have found ourselves strayed from our true purpose because of life's pressures and unnecessary expectations. Nevertheless, purpose is innate. It's like finding your way back home. The purpose-fueled passion burning in your soul will find a fuse to spark, sooner or later. I believe that everything happens for a reason and it is never late for anyone to step into their purpose. The best part of living out your life's purpose is that you get to be yourself in your highest form. Because it is so effortless, it brings you joys and adds color back into your life. You are simply able to just be because you are where you belong, where you feel the most yourself, where it just comes to you like involuntary reflexes.

In my personal interpretation of purpose, I found that it is slightly branched into two types. Unintentional and intentional purpose. Unintentional purpose is the role your life plays naturally, purely by just your existence. I could say unintentional purpose is the purpose you were born with. From just being alive and present in people's lives, there are things that you are doing, changes that you are making in those lives, without even trying. The staunch Christian in me would describe this as God using you to fulfill His purpose with your life, to do His will and His work through you. Unintentional purpose is once again what your character and basic existence do for people. For example, how your bubbly spirit, positive outlook and tenacity keep someone else going. Or how being around others always lifts their spirits and makes their days better. Or how your die-hard attitude towards life encourages another to stay strong and keep believing.

Then, intentional purpose. This is what I would elaborate on as the purpose you believe you were born for. What you naturally love and gravitate towards, and know without a doubt that you were born to do. It's organic and feels like magic. It lights up your soul in ways unspeakable and drives you – it is your highest calling. It comes easy to you and you are beyond passionate about it. It's still God's way of using your life as an instrument for His will, but you are conscious about it and responsible for the choices you make. You were designed for your purpose, and it finds you with time.

We were born for a purpose and with a purpose. Anyone who has the nerve to look at another person and refer to them as useless has no idea what they are talking about. One may look at the word 'useless' as a word that's okay to throw around loosely, but in true essence it cuts deep. You are blatantly telling this person that they are good for nothing. Sadly, we don't go around branded with our fears and insecurities across our foreheads. There are people who are battling finding who they are and their place in the world. Then you come and tell them that they are not good enough. You are solidifying in them these recurring thoughts and fears that lurk at the back of their mind that they'll never amount to anything or that they don't belong anywhere. And it will be easy for them to believe those words because everything in their life seems to be in correlation with them.

Absolutely no one is useless or good-for-nothing. Even though your life doesn't seem to be 'benefiting' anyone or anything at the moment, it actually is. Your presence alone is purpose. Things are not coming together but you're trying and fighting really hard. You are contributing to the energy of positivity and fight in the universe, that transfers to someone going through something similar. They see you and they become motivated, yet you can't see them. Your parents, you give them hope that they didn't raise a quitter. You reassure them that they've played their part best way they could have. Never in a googolplex number of years doubt your existence. You're doing way more than you think. And never doubt your magic. You need not go around looking for 'what you were born for'. It's almost as if your purpose finds you, but it has been with you from the moment you took your first breath. All that you are and love is your purpose. That x-factor that only you have to offer the world. Millions can be singers but something about your voice, your gift will hit different. It touches the world in a way that nobody could ever compare.

We all have our special something, it's always there. I guess it's all about timing. When it's your time to take center stage and thrive, it'll happen. You will leave a mark that time could never erase, regardless of the magnitude. You are here for a reason, and that reason is your purpose.

[REFLECTION: At the end of it all, the main purpose of life is to change someone else's, whether intentionally or not. Through living out our dreams, we inspire change. Through being ourselves, we spark change. Through not being or losing ourselves, we plant seeds and leave behind lessons for the next person. Purpose is everywhere, like air. No matter who you are or where you are, you matter.]