Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley
There have been times in my life when I have sat down and wondered: What is the meaning of life?
Why are we here?
Is this what my life is going to be?
Is this all there is to life?
Who will remember me when I am gone?
Sometimes my answers to these questions were not very positive. Sometimes my answers were downright negative and involved cussing. Sometime I felt helpless and sorry for myself. I even had a pity party.
Then I thought: What is a matter with you? You should be thankful for all of your blessings. I would start reciting old sayings, like "I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes, then I met a man who had no feet."
Would any reader who HAS NOT experienced at least one of these thoughts, please stand up and announce yourself. If you stood up, you will lie about other things too. We all, without exception, have questioned our existence and purpose in life at one time or another. Welcome to the club of self-doubt, you are a charter member by simply being human.
What is it that will give you true—not temporary—happiness here during your life on planet Earth? Accomplishment? Money? Notice? The perfect soul mate? I have had them all and still did not find permanent happiness and peace of mind.
There is much in my background to suggest that I should be happy with the blessings I have had, and I certainly am to a degree, but I was never totally satisfied with myself and my purpose in life.
To find my reason for being, I was forced to answer in writing these three questions:
Who am I?
What am I meant to do here?
What am I trying to do with my life?
Finding answers to these questions and putting them into writing was not an easy task, but doing so has make me happier than I have ever been in life. Why? Because now I understand my place in the universe and am comfortable with myself and my role in life beyond being a husband, father and grandfather to my family.
After much reflection and soul searching, here is what I found about myself:
Who am I? I am a survivor, and a man of integrity who became a professional writer.
There are three key words in this statement—survivor, integrity, writer. I am a survivor because I grew up in a very dysfunctional family. As a man of integrity, I learned early on that I could not stand lying, cheating and stealing. In the Bible, Proverbs, Chapter 20 Verse 7 says: "The just man walketh in his integrity; his children are blessed after him." I am that man, and have always been that man. As a writer, I became aware of my ability to communicate with the written word early on and have used my God-given gift to become a professional writer.
What am I meant to do here? Serve others.
Being hard-headed, I spent more than 6 decades of my life waiting for God to reveal to me some great purpose for my life. Finally, thankfully, slowly, I came to realize without any great revelation that there was really only one reason for me to be here and that was to serve others and not myself. This epiphany of personal growth on my part has given my continual happiness for the first time in my life.
What am I trying to do with my life? I am using my writing skills to bring knowledge, understanding and ideas to life that will encourage and motivate people to achieve their true potential.
Perhaps Albert Schweitzer said it best: "I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve."
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Read my other commentary on
"Why Benjamin Franklin Was So Awesome"
"A Little Learning Is a Dangerous Thing, Drink Deep or Taste Not the Pierian Spring"
"Secrets Men Don't Want Women to Know - The 4 Realities in a Man's World - Part 3"
"Clason's 'The Richest Man in Babylon' Reveals the Fastest Way to Become Financially Savvy - Part 1"
Find my Blog at:
http://www.edbagleyblog.com
http://www.edbagleyblog.com/LessonsinLife.html
