Driving home from a friend’s house recently I noticed a sign that said “Start the new year with a purpose.”  What a striking sign.  It got me thinking.  The American Heritage Dictionary defines purpose as the object toward which one strives or for which something exists.  The famous American writer Sarah Josepha Hale wrote, “And ever those, who would enjoyment gain/Must find it in the purpose they pursue.”  

Those are strong words.  It’s a thought I’ve spent a lot of time with lately.  What exactly is my purpose?  I believe everyone struggles with this from time to time.  I ask myself constantly am I making a difference?  Am I encouraging and helping people?  Am I loving my family enough?  Am I working towards anything meaningful?  And for what will I be remembered one day when I’m gone?

I feel that maybe purposes can change throughout your lifetime.  That possibly my purpose today will be totally different from what it may be in 10 years from now.  That most likely your circumstances influence what you feel is important and worthy of your time.  I also think that when your purpose and your heart are aligned, life can be a remarkable adventure and your life will make an impact. 

Finding that purpose, however can be difficult.  Knowing your talents, realizing what’s important, and embracing the challenge of living up to that potential everyday is a hard task.  But I feel that once you find a purpose, a meaning for your life and put forth the effort to carry it through – well, it can be the most rewarding gift to yourself.

But what holds us back from such a rewarding experience?  I suppose that’s different for everyone too.  Sometimes I think its laziness or maybe just not caring at all.  But I think the fear of failure is what tends to capture and immobilize us the most.  Finding the ability to know what we can do and then facing the idea that we must be perfect.  And of course since no one is perfect, mistakes and failure will come.  And then what does that say about you and your purpose?  That you aren’t good enough, that you don’t matter, that you can’t make a difference?     

I know I struggle with this.  But I also think I’m still trying to find my talents, my heart, and in essence, my purpose.  I’m still trying to harness my stubborness, impatience, and selfishness that are robbing me from finding what is truly important.  Maybe one day I’ll grow up and eventually take inventory of what I can offer this world.  Then maybe I’ll have a purpose and the courage to embrace it…   

As you’ve read, I just got back from a trip visiting some great friends in South Florida.  They are terrific.  We all have a lot in common but at the same time we are all very different and so the conversation is always interesting. 

One friend in particular is such a planner.  I always tell him he is my travel agent and tour guide.  When I plan a visit to see him or we plan a trip somewhere together I never have to worry about what we’ll be doing.  He usually has the entire itinerary set by the time he picks me up from the airport.  He is very careful to take into consideration what I like to do and makes sure that everything we see is fun and enjoyable.  It’s great to have my own private travel agent… means I can simply relax and enjoy the trip.  He pulls double duty, because he knows the history of his area and so he also becomes my personal tour guide.  Believe me, he will tell you everything you want to know and probably some things you didn’t about most anything in the South Florida area. 

This trip was a little more low key than past visits.  Just what I needed considering I’m only about 8 weeks out from surgery.  But we did manage a lot of walking around Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Key Biscayne, and the Everglades.  So much so that I have blisters on my feet now – (note to self… need more comfortable shoes). 

Anyway, this trip’s activities included me playing lighthouse keeper, making friends with an alligator, almost getting killed by a falling coconut (just kidding), rediscovering the child within swinging on the beach swingset, and feeling like a pauper as I walked through the doors of the grand estate that was the Biltmore family’s summer home – now known as the Biltmore Hotel.  I learned that it is VERY important not to look up when a flock of seagulls are flying overhead and that it is possible to create a pool by carving one out of coral – who knew?

All in all it was a wonderful trip sharing time with some great friends and seeing some great things.  I’m looking forward to going back… maybe next time I’ll try parasailing, kayak out to the reef, or travel the 40 miles across the Atlantic to the Bahamas… whatever I do I won’t have to worry about too much, my friend will plan everything.