Living on Purpose
by Meta Commerse
It’s a brand new year and, by habit, most of us begin January with brand new projections, goals, and resolutions.
This time, let’s deviate just a little and start with the idea of purpose and how it relates to us as individuals and to our world.
Ancient stories of dharma have long fascinated me. “Dharma” is a Sanskrit word meaning purpose. In some East Indian traditions, dharma is believed to be connected to lineage, as one’s talent or skill is passed along through the generations. In our Kwanzaa principle of “Nia,” we reflect on Purpose at the end of the year, as a vital part of our collective wholeness.
Taking this deeper still, we find a West African practice of divining the name (nature and purpose) of a child to be born and, in this case, not only do the elders have the name ready at birth, they would prepare themselves and the villagers from day one on how to raise a child with such a calling.
Do you have such knowledge of self? What is your purpose? If you haven’t found it already, can you imagine your purpose being a real source of happiness and fulfillment to you? To explore these questions deeply, simply, and quietly, ask yourself two more: What is my greatest need? What is my greatest gift? I’ve learned to find the forces of purpose waiting somewhere in the midst of the stated need and the stated gift and, most especially, that our life circumstances and yearnings have uniquely prepared us for this. Need + Gift = Purpose.
Look around you. There is much in our complex world to be grateful for. As a species, we have made great strides in some areas. Yet there is still much more work to do, much improvement to be made. If you consider the state of our world as you know and experience it, consider this, too. How might that state be altered if, by some miracle, every member of the human family suddenly knew their purpose, committed to their purpose, pursued their purpose, and became their purpose? What might the end result be, and how different is that from what we have today?
Short of every member of the human family suddenly, miraculously awakening in this way, how different would your own personal world be if you awakened to your purpose? How much better would your life and the lives of your loved ones be if you made this discovery and change?
Yes, your purpose is crucial to the development of the whole human family! Define it; refine it. Live it; give it. We need you! We’re waiting on you. Come on, you can do it! With purpose, make 2014 the best ever!
Ashé
Meta Commerse, M.A., M.F.A. is Director of Story Medicine of Asheville, a unique healing program. She is also an author, activist, and public speaker. Meta is also a professor of English and History at Haywood Community College. Her novel, The Mending Time, is forthcoming. Meta is available to speak to your group on the healing power of story and other topics of interest. Contact her on Facebook.
