What's your purpose in life?

[Avatar4321]

I was reading an interesting article about figuring out one's purpose in life. It had me thinking about whether I have a purpose. I may post it later just to see what people think, but I'd like to see how people respond first.

 

[fyrenza]

I'm not sure what my purpose is.

I've been a muse to folks, but I don't think that's it.

I'm a nurse, so I guess you'd think that healing folks would be my calling,

but it goes much farther than just peeps bodies.

Maybe my purpose is to just be here, when someone needs me for something.

As a Christian, I firmly believe that I need to "shine His light, abroad,"

and the truth is, He keeps me "up" and happy, ALL of the time, even through things I NEVER thought I'd even be able to live through.

So, my answer is this: I don't know, but He does, and I love and trust Him.

 

[eots]

spawn till I die

 

[pans trogladyta]

I was reading an interesting article about figuring out one's purpose in life. It had me thinking about whether I have a purpose. I may post it later just to see what people think, but I'd like to see how people respond first.

My purpose in life is what I decide it is, when I decide it is. It is, of course, subject to change.

 

[fyrenza]

But, of COURSE!

 

[goldcatt]

I was reading an interesting article about figuring out one's purpose in life. It had me thinking about whether I have a purpose. I may post it later just to see what people think, but I'd like to see how people respond first.

Who says my life has to have just one purpose? I prefer to multitask.

 

[froggy]

Just look back over the years and see what would not have been if you had not been there.

 

[Mr. H.]

I'll probably never know, but I've had so many close brushes with death that I eventually figured I'm alive today for a purpose. I just hope I have the strength to fulfill it when the time comes.

 

[martybegan]

Your purpose is based on what is best in Life....

To defeat your enemies, see them driven them before you, and hear the lamentations of thier women..

(Apologies to Conan)

 

[Granny]

I think we do have a purpose in life and we don't necessarily know or need to know that purpose.

I truly believe that people come into and out of our lives for a reason and that things happen for a reason. It may be an immediate reason or something that will happen a little further down the road.

Been there, done that. It happens.

 

[Sherry]

If you mean given a purpose from a higher power, then I don't know. If I get to determine my purpose, then it's to be involved with helping children. Being a mom, as well as my careers in teaching and mentoring, have been very fulfilling.

 

[paperview]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymucqmjJs20]YouTube - Special Purpose[/ame]

 

[Sky Dancer]

My purpose in life is to become enlightened in order to benefit all sentient beings. Short of that, to live and die well. To be the most helpful and least harmful to others.

 

[PixieStix]

To spread pixiedust

 

[Madeline]

To comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, and to raise a new generation of comforter-afflicters. I lean heavily to the afflicting side of this equation.

So far, I'd say I was doing well.

Comfort the afflicted. . .

"The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."

The famous quote is about a hundred years old and can be traced to the work of Finley Peter Dunne, one of the great journalists of the day, who wrote about politics and culture in the voice and persona of an Irishman named "Mr. Dooley." Think of him, if you will, as a precursor to Dr. Ink.

"Th newspaper does ivrything f'r us. It runs th' polis foorce an' th' banks, commands th' milishy, controls th' ligislachure, baptizes th' young, marries th' foolish, comforts th' afflicted, afflicts th' comfortable, buries th' dead an' roasts thim aftherward."

As you can imagine, the Doc's spell check just crashed, but the phonemic spellings were part of Mr. Dooley's wit and charm. More apparent, is the manner in which contemporary journalists have twisted Dunne's original meaning out of context. Dunne's argument was that the power of newspapers was out of proportion, that they exerted influence where they had no legitimate business. They even had the arrogance to think they can afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted.

In Doc's immodest opinion, journalists should never use the phrase again to justify their actions, unless they want old Mr. Dooley to roll over in his grave. It is true that the worst journalism comforts the comfortable and afflicts the afflicted. That is a breach of duty.

We need journalists to get at the truth and to keep watch against abuses of power. They have a hard enough time getting that right. So let's absolve them of the responsibility of charity or iconoclasm. If journalists want to comfort the afflicted, they should send money to the Red Cross.

Comfort

Lawyers are, at their best, Justice Gladiators. I have wanted to be a lawyer since the McCarthy Hearings, when my parents -- who taught school -- cried out "Where is the justice? Where are the lawyers?"

I no longer actively practice, but I hope some of my actions and words still afflict some who deserve it.

 

[Angelhair]

Purpose??? Are we suppose to have a purpose??? Hmmmmmmmm - when I find out, I will let you know.....

 

[Sky Dancer]

What gives your life meaning? Another way of asking the same question...

 

[PixieStix]

I think if everyone is really really honest and would dig deep on that question, the answer would be the same for all of us

 

[Anguille]

I was reading an interesting article about figuring out one's purpose in life. It had me thinking about whether I have a purpose. I may post it later just to see what people think, but I'd like to see how people respond first.

To eat and not be eaten.

 

[Liability]

I come in peace for all the world, but mostly to heal the sordid wrecked and ruined minds of modern American liberals.

My mission, my goal, my objective, my very purpose is to shed enlightenment on poor, afflicted, blind, irrational, incoherent, plodding, stultified liberals until, with my beneficent assistance, they may have their eyes opened, the hearts gladdened and their thoughts uplifted to the spiritual joys of conservatism and personal responsibility and the discovery of their own purposes.

I bring these gifts in increments and in a variety of forms and in stages.

To paraphrase Aeschylus:

When I impart my wisdom on the miserable soulless liberals, 'Even in their sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon their hearts until, in their own despair, against their will, comes wisdom through the awful but awesome grace of my teachings.'

No need to thank me. It is, as I say, my purpose.