Why are You Living?

It was 4,O'Clock in the morning, my regular time to leave my bed and prepare myself for the day's activities. But today, it was special?some thoughts were troubling the peace of my find. Why are we living? What is the purpose of this life? For whom, I am living? For my parents, my spouse, my kids, my country, my religion, NO, I am and in that manner we all are living for ourselves. If today anything happens to me, will my spouse, my parents, my kids, stop living? No, they will not. Then, what is the purpose of living? Why are you living? You are living for yourself, your name, your growth, and your happiness. The purpose of this life is: "You in Particular and others in General".

We take one birth, die only once, love only once (True and Unconditional Love) and live only one life. Am I living for picnics, parties, clubs, and dances and just to enjoy my life or there is some other purpose as well. "To me, there is only one form of human depravity - the man without a purpose." Those are rather harsh words by Ayn Rand. However, I can understand her point. After all, a life without purpose is a life wasted. Kenneth Hildebrand eloquently explains the problem: "Multitudes of people, drifting aimlessly to and fro without a set purpose, deny themselves such fulfillment of their capacities, and the satisfying happiness which attends it. They are not wicked; they are only shallow. They are not mean or vicious; they simply are empty - shake them and they would rattle like gourds. They lack range, depth, and conviction. Without purpose their lives ultimately wander into the morass of dissatisfaction. As we harness our abilities to a steady purpose and undertake the long pull toward its accomplishment, rich compensations reward us. A sense of purpose simplifies life and therefore concentrates our abilities; and concentration adds power.

The purpose of life, then, is to lead a life of purpose and its meaning is to give life meaning. But what is meant by purpose and meaning? They simply mean the "big picture," vision, chief aim, or core values that all other goals are subordinate to. For example, our PURPOSE might be to leave the world a better place than the way we found it, or to make everyone we meet happier. Either of these purposes would be noble and achievable. How can we help create a better world or make others happier? Wouldn't you agree that one way is by refusing to steal, criticize, intimidate, gossip, or argue? Another way would be to treat others with kindness, generosity, honesty, and respect. Our goal should be not merely to be good, but to be good for something; to have value that we offer to the world. Our PURPOSE is the path we follow; it's a broad paintbrush that colors all areas of our life. When all personal goals (career, family, etc.) are aligned with our PURPOSE, we will be authentic beings with integrity.

Those who lead empty lives sometimes turn to bigotry and hatred for solace. So we need to be careful to choose a PURPOSE that will help us to grow, help our potential unfold, and help us transcend our present limitations. Our potential is staggering.

A life of PURPOSE is not without effort. But we must ask ourselves, "Which is the better rosebush, that with the fewest thorns or that with the finest roses?" Toil, pain, and sweat are the birthplace of greatness. Let's not spend time; let's use it; use it to make a difference. If we make a difference to the world, won't we also make a difference to ourselves? If the world is happy that we are here, won't we feel the same way? Perhaps this is why Zig Ziglar offers the following advice: "Don't become a wandering generality. Be a meaningful specific."

Conclusive Remarks.

Identify your self. Identify a purpose for your life. If your happiness can bring happiness to others, it is good. If your prosperity can bring prosperity to others, it is excellent, but it should not be vice-versa. There is no charity. There is no free lunch. Most of us are living for our today, "Enjoy your today, tomorrow we will think about future". Even animals can do that, then how are you different?

Looking forward to your comments.

Regards
Sanjeev Sharma
Mobile: 9890788259)
E-mail: ss_himachali@yahoo.com; s070976@yahoo.co.in
Blog: http://sanjeevhimachali.blogspot.com
You can read my BPO related articles at www.bpoindia.org/research
You can read my article on Motivation, Inspiration and Dreams at http://www.ezinearticles.com

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