“Everyone has been made for some particular work and the desire for that work has been put in every heart.”

Rumi

I have been thinking about the meaning of Life Purpose for a lot of years, especially lately now that I have a lot more time on my hands. I now this may sound indulgent, but it leaves me having to consider how to fill that time meaningfully. I haven’t made a lot of progress in that time, although I decided to be gentler with myself in the process of discovery. Clearly, we all have our unique Life Purpose and Rumi says it has “been put in every heart.” To date, my heart is crickets. I enjoyed teaching, but I didn’t think of it as my Life Purpose. I don’t have a burning desire to go back to the classroom. School systems have changed dramatically over the years. The other morning I asked John if he had a Purpose. He responded, “Do I HAVE a Life Purpose?” I replied, “Well, yes, we all have one. Have you identified yours yet?” No, he has not. Charlie walked by. I thought maybe we know in our youth and then forget as life gets more complicated. I asked Charlie the same question. He responded (with exasperation), “No, I haven’t found my Life Purpose. I’m barely sixteen.” The question (or maybe me!) seems to frustrate my family, too. Why is it such a scavenger hunt? Shouldn’t we be told our Life Purpose upon entry so that we can spend our lives fulfilling it? That would be a lot more efficient and helpful to the world.

Joseph Cambell advices us to “follow our bliss”:

“Follow your bliss. If you do follow your bliss, you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while waiting for you,and the life you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in the field of your bliss, and they open the doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.
If you follow your bliss, doors will open for you that wouldn’t have opened for anyone else.”

Joseph Cambell

If you have figued out your Purpose, congratulations! Did you follow your bliss? I will think about this on the Camino.

Note: I am packing my bag tomorrow! And I’ve been focusing on the task at hand. I still haven’t received a list of hotels yet, and I am trying to go with the flow. I wanted to research them, and of course, leave you the information. I’m sure I’ll hear soon…