I found purpose on a Monday
I found purpose on a Monday.
Perhaps we don’t find purpose, we live it.
A blueberry bath: Several at a time, I hold my blueberries under cool running water rinsing them off one by one, washing away all they’ve been through. Grateful for their benefits and the journey they’ve taken to get here.
It’s a small act of kindness for the berries and myself.
I am not worried about tomorrow or thinking about the past. I am not on autopilot. I am here at the sink, an ordinary Monday.
This intentional act allows me to remember why I appreciate them and the time I have to wash and eat them.
This is how I try to approach all parts my life; big or small.
Because purpose is revealed when we fully engage with and attend to the life presented before us.
I’ve come to realize there is nothing out there for me (past nor future), everything I need starts right here in this present moment of fullness.
Stop searching. Perhaps your purpose is right here, right now.
Two books came to mind while writing this essay:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo is one of my favorite books. It is a short read about a young boy who goes on an elaborate journey to find a treasure, his purpose.
Favorite quote: “The secret is here in the present. If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And if you improve on the present, what comes later will also be better.”
I, Medusa by Ayana Gray
2. I, Medusa by Ayana Gray, captures beautifully the concept of accepting our purpose today.
It is well written, easy to digest, sad, lonely, heartwarming, sweet and tender.
Medusa spends most of her journey looking for someone else to define her purpose. But by the end of her tumultuous journey she realizes this:
“There was a time when I might have believed that, the idea that someone else can give you purpose. I’m grateful now to know the truth, that the only person who can give me purpose is myself. As the world fades, I find myself wondering if perhaps purpose is not a single thing one finds, but rather a thing one finds over and over again. I’m only eighteen, but I’ve already had so many purposes. I have been a mortal girl whose purpose was to marry well. I have been a priestess whose purpose was to serve. I have been a monster whose purpose was to avenge. I find that I’m excited to learn what my next purpose will be. And that is enough.”
How can we expect to find purpose if we cannot fully live our purpose today?
Don’t rush through life. Fully attend to each moment. Realize that purpose isn’t this grand thing waiting for us in the future. It’s right here in the daily mundane living.
On this fine Monday morning, washing blueberries before I head to work.
I’d love to hear how you practice resting in this moment, fully attending to your life. Please share in the comments below.
Also, let me know of any book recommendations you have.
