If your life's purpose was a car, which car would it be? Would it be the type of car that you would trust you children to ride in, or would it be the latest model of a luxury car? Would it have 4 wheel drive or would it frequently be in the shop, with you left to find other rides? Since I have yet to make my point clear. . . Why are you here? Why do you get up in the morning? Why do you go to sleep at night? What's driving you?
Too much? Okay. . . I let's take a step back.
So, a few days ago I was driving to work and thinking about what I had to do next. I just graduated from graduate school, just got my first job (& paycheck ;p), just got my new apartment, and just order my new bedroom set. I was feeling pretty good. So good, that I started to think, "Wow, I made it." One would think that it would be happy time, but I was suddenly faced with the thought. . . "If I've made it, then what am I going to do with the rest of my life. This?"
Then, I panicked even more and thought, "what if I get complacent here? What if I forget everything I ever wanted because I accomplished some of my goals? What if I get bored and forget all of the other cool things that life has to offer!?" Then it hit me. I no longer knew where I was going. I was on a train to grad school and a full-time job and hadn't even considered what I would be driving next. To loose the metaphors, I no longer understood my purpose.
At one point, my purpose was to graduate from school and get a job but now what? What I am going to spend the rest of my life doing? There are so many people living, who forgot why they were ever living? Either they are just trying to survive, which at times we all do, or they have always been told what to dream. I don't want to believe in a substitute vision for my life.
So, after I set all my practical goals for saving, building credit, and handling bills and revisited my passions. I revisited my love of life, joy and laughter; justice and strength; love and family; identity, culture, and creativity. I thought about all of the things that ignited my soul, children, God, Love, and Wisdom. . . and I made a commitment to myself and God: "Now, more than ever. . . I need to understand and live out my purpose."
What does it matter how successful you are if you never use your power to help people, and what does it matter how much money you have if everyone around you is broke and suffering? I made a commitment to be driven by my passions. God gave us all desires for our hearts, that thing that you've always wanted. For some of us, it is having a family, for others of us, it is our job; yet we all have something that ignites us and would be ultimately fulfilling.
For me, I've always wanted to be a counselor. I think I'm going to work for a few years to transition into adulthood, maybe start a family and then I will pursue my PhD in Counseling Psychology to be a Marriage and Family Therapist. I want to work with families, most likely in the church or community, but I also want to work specifically with teenage girls during their development into women. I would also like to support organizations that promote fair education to people who are not afforded such.
I have by no means figured life out! I just believe that if you are not moving forward, you're moving backwards. Time doesn't stop for no man, so pick a direction and go. Switching directions is all a part of the process, but when there is purpose to life. . . everything seems to fit together. So in the end that it what is ultimately driving me. . .
What's driving you?
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