I’ve been thinking about this lately.  Not the shoveling part (well, I have been thinking about why my sons have not shoveled yet), but the purpose part.  What is my purpose?  What am I supposed to be doing while I’m here.  Sure, there are the obvious things, raise my children, learn and grow from the loves in my life, take care of some important people in my world, win a freaking triathlon (waiting for the 80-85 age category ….).  But, is there a “purpose?”  Something I can define?

The universe is about flow.  It’s about giving and receiving.  And, I’ve had loads of opportunities to do so.  So, it’s made me wonder if mine is service.  But, I’ve often wondered if that’s enough.  I can be very self-critical (as you know) and I’m thinking that I could be missing my purpose.

There’s a story about Buckminster Fuller, one of the greatest inventors of the twentieth century, about he and his sick daughter. One day, Fuller said he was leaving the house to go to a football game and promised his daughter (who was 6) that we would bring her back one of the small red flags that they use in football for her birthday the next day.  Fuller didn’t come back for three days.  Apparently out partying (he was known for that). When he finally arrived home his wife told him not to waste time apologising to her but to go up to see his daughter as she had gotten worse. When he picked her up in his arms the daughter asked if he had the flag.  He said no, and shortly thereafter, she died in his arms.

After that, Fuller felt so bad that he wanted to end his life.  But, the story goes that he heard a voice essentially saying that he didn’t have a right to end his life.  It wasn’t his and he had not yet done what he had come to the earth to do.  He spent years trying to figure out his purpose and, as we know, he eventually figured out that it was to leave us with great beauty.

I’m still sorting through this purpose issue.  But one thing I have figured out is that I need to pay attention to the “taps on my shoulder.”  These are the times when I feel like someone (thing?) is tapping me on the shoulder indicating that I am going a positive way or a negative way.  I have a tendency to ignore those taps (Hence starting a new job today almost two years longer than I should have.  Why?  Because, I ignored the taps.).

So, I have no answers.  Only questions.  And one thought:  if we listen and when we are ready, we will see, feel and maybe hear with a bit more clarity, our purpose.  Mine today may be as simple as a smile to all that I meet.  What’s yours?

Have a great one!