Purposeful Living Creates Life

"What's the point of anything?"

• Annie Butterfield
  

Purposeful Living Creates Life

My daughter Annie and I were having a conversation today. She's fifteen now and has lots of questions about why things are the way they are. So, why should she be any different than I was at 15? Why should she be any different than I am now? We all have questions. In fact, I haven't met anyone at any age that doesn't have questions.

But, Annie's question just seems so perfect for every person to think long and hard about. It is, "What's the point of anything?"

This is a question that must be answered by every person individually. And, if asked thoughtfully one must come to the conclusion that to find a personal answer will most assuredly lead to the discovery of purposeful living. My friend Quinn Heder told me a story that perfectly illustrates the "Principle of Purposeful Living."

"I had a hound dog once and he was bitten by a raccoon," he said. "He became paralyzed. The veterinarians all told me to put him down, but I just couldn't do it! All the dog was able to do was to lie on his side. He couldn't move most of his body so he couldn't hunt anymore. He couldn't even make a sound."

"I knew that my dog loved to hunt and that since he couldn't, he would very likely lose his will to live. If I wanted him to live, I had to do something soon. Then I noticed that when our cat walked past and began to drink from the dog's water bowl, my hound lifted his head and moved his mouth in a most profound effort to bay at the cat. And, as I watched I knew immediately that this innate purpose, of protecting his water bowl from a natural enemy, would give him the necessary will to become healthy and live again."

"As my dog regained his health and vigor, before my very eyes, the importance of purpose was forever written on my soul!"

So, I would ask you, what's written on your soul? Are you an artist? Do you dream of teaching your life's experience to others? Are you a creator of businesses? Have you looked so deeply inside of yourself that you can see the desires of your heart playing out before you as if on a stage? If not, what's holding you back?

Take some time to do some internal exploring. Explore your joys, your hopes and dreams. Distance yourself from the voices that have told you, and keep telling you, that you can't do what you want to do because it just isn't practical. Do what you want to do just because it is you! If you will, just like Quinn's hound, you'll soon find yourself able to overcome any type of paralyzing fear and create the life of your dreams.