Purpose

How is everyone doing? As per the norm, it seems like an entire lifetime has passed since my last blog post. So much has transpired in such a small amount of time.  

Now, I know many of you, myself included, have found the world, as of late, to be quite an overwhelming and overstimulating place to reside in. I also know this will resonate differently, depending on who you are and where you reside in this world. I mean that, both literally and figuratively. Every person's life experience will look and feel uniquely different. George Monbiot is a British journalist and author whose work I enjoy reading. He once said, "What you see is not what others see. We inhabit parallel worlds of perception bounded by our interests and experience. What is obvious to some is invisible to others." With that in mind, I will share some of my thoughts and perceptions.

Like many of you, I have been processing the wave of emotions stirred up by our last election here in America; many of you may be able to identify with some or all of these emotions. I felt anger, sadness, and anxiety due to the fear of the unknown. The worry and concern I have for family, close friends, or just everyday people who are just doing their best to show up in this life as best as they can, in a way that they can feel good about, as they, too, journey through this human experience.

I decided to ask myself what I felt were some necessary questions. Do I want to choose to reside in this space with fear looming over me? Or would I prefer to take all that I have learned up to this point and find a way to apply it to what now becomes a forward movement? If I am choosing forward movement, What will that look like? What will it entail? Am I willing to put one foot in front of the other, even if I am unsure where this crazy journey may take me? I took a long, deep breath, followed by a huge exhale. My answer was yes.

I reminded myself that life is about the journey, not the destination. I believe. Before entering this world, we have already chosen the places, the people, and the timelines where we feel our presence is essential. That might sound a bit out there for some of you, but it makes perfect sense for me. And coincidentally, here we all are, right now, together. I further believe that every single one of us has a purpose.

Some of us realize our purpose sooner than others. Some of us require more time in the discovery process. Others do not even have to worry about figuring it all out. It just happens upon them. Then, sadly, some leave this world, never recognizing or understanding what their purpose happened to be. I choose to believe that we are all here to add to this world in our own uniquely and impactful way, and no one is irrelevant. I think now would be a good time for everyone to explore, re-visit, and re-examine. Or even discover for the very first time what your unique superpower is. Hell, it does not even have to be a superpower. It can simply bring you happiness. Never overlook anything that offers you that simple but oh-so-important feeling. We need a whole lot of that in this world right now.

I do believe I have found my purpose in this life. I cannot help but be in awe and often bewildered by the rollout process. However, every single event in my life, big or small, has somehow directed and aligned me to this precise moment, with me tapping away at my keyboard. It is pretty trippy when you think about it. It is as if I never even needed to worry. Or feel anxious about this moment never arriving. I always felt like I was never quite where I needed to be. I felt like I was somehow way behind where I should be. It turns out I was wrong. I was always exactly where I was meant to be every step of the way at every single one of those moments. 

I believe my contribution to this world is through my voice, whether through the words I write. Or the words that I speak, I do both with intention. Those words come from a genuinely good and honest space. It took me a long time to get to this space. I had to figure out how to process my thoughts and my emotions. I had to explore different ways to channel it all. As an artist, this has taken on many forms and continues to do so. When you are raised in an abusive environment, finding your voice can be challenging and very scary at times. It has been one of my biggest challenges in life, as it is for so many who struggle with different forms of trauma. On the upside, it is possible and life-changing. I encourage you to never give up on it.

When I began this writing journey, I thought sharing the darkest moments of my life could, as Bob Dylan so beautifully put it. "Offer shelter from the storm" to those who had or were currently facing similar experiences. I thought it could help others not feel so isolated and alone. It was also a cathartic way for me to feel what I needed to feel and say what I needed to say and to be able to release it, to make it a part of my past so that I could finally be fully present in the now and be able to embrace that.

Here is one of those full-circle moments I love so much. Believe it or not, I never plan for these moments when I begin writing. The writing takes me there. I have come to understand that I do not want to continue to reside in that space with those feelings. Instead, I want to write about the forward movement, placing one foot in front of the other.

There will be moments when it will take every ounce of energy you have in you to take those steps. Sometimes, it is going to feel scary to take those steps. That's o.k. You can always take a moment to pause, touch grass, and get centered. "Life's not a race. You will get to your beautiful destination in your own time."-Aly Aubrey.

This blog was a bit tricky to put together. "Voyage Dallas" will publish a feature on my blog this month. I tried to write this without the risk of sounding redundant in their piece since I will be publishing it here when it goes live. I just wanted to offer some words of encouragement to everyone out there because I believe in all of you. I also believe in the human spirit and what we can accomplish collectively. I have encountered too many amazing people in my life to think any differently.

I am currently working on Part 3 of the "Who AM I" series. There has to be a "Return of the Jedi." I don't make the rules, but what is a story if it is not conveyed through a trilogy? I am also working on another blog. I don't believe I have shared my story about Brett Goldstein and me with you. It is a banger. It is also a nice little segway to this gem of a quote from Ted Lasso that I will leave you with.

"Fairy tales do not start, nor do they end, in the dark forest. That's something that always shows up smack dab in the middle of the story but it will all work out. Now, it may not work out how you think it will or how you hope it does but believe me, it will all exactly as it's supposed to." -Ted Lasso.

ReplyForward Add reaction