“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”
I would say that I found meaning in my life a very long time ago, and it did in fact arrive, as I realized the gift that I can bring to others, with my work and my words. I have found my gift… and for this I am blessed. However, when I think about the term ‘ life purpose’ I cannot say that I have ever felt that I have been able to embrace my life purpose- or as I like to say, “Do what I came here to do…”
Today’s quote gave me considerable insight into this- and I hope with some honest self reflection, it will do the same for each of you. For thirty years, I have been collecting insights, and stories, and experiences the way that some people might collect stamps or coins. I have binders, and boxes, old cassette tapes, and photos- all too many to count- that hold nothing short of my life’s lessons. I have been saving them… because I always thought that some grand container to put them in was going to appear…. I envisioned that container would be a book-that would arrive with such pomp and circumstance, that I would know it was my life’s purpose. Funny thing is, I have now written four books… and each of those books emerged into the world inspired by the moment- not inspired by the past. So while I have waited for ‘thee book’ to announce itself to me, all of these life lessons that I have kept under lock and key, sit and collect dust.
I smiled the moment I found this quote… because the Daily Rx for the Soul is the first time in my life I have finally figured out how to really give my gift away. If my gift were a butterfly, in the past, I have pinned it in place and put it in a glass jar- today I am learning to let it land in my life for a moment, and then to let it move away from me, and emerge into the world as a living thing…
We each have our gift- and our gifts are not meant to be put in a jar and saved for later. Your purpose is to give your gift away… How do you know what your gift is? Your gift is that part of you that expands when it meets the outside world … For some it is the ability to tend a garden or to lift up a hood to fix an engine. For another it might be the ability to open a child’s mind to reading, or hands that lovingly prepare a meal for the people they love. Our gifts can be as quiet as being a good listener, or as bold as walking gracefully through the world with a missing limb. What is your gift? What glorious part of yourself might you hold back from the world? What is it that you are saving, and cupping, and tucking away? Whatever it is, take a chance… open up the glass jar you have kept shut tight, and let the light that is yours, stream into the world. Remember, the purpose of life- is to give it away…