Meant for some higher purpose?

January 21, 2014 · 0 Comments

Mark Pavilons

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
? Ralph Waldo Emerson

Human beings tend to make mountains out of mole hills.
That’s not news. For millennia, perhaps as long as we’ve walked on two legs, humankind has tried to figure out the meaning of life.
An impossible task to be sure. But that hasn’t stopped writers, philosophers and scientists from offering their input and expanding on this unsolvable equation.
Perhaps, after creating the world along with Adam and Eve, God looked down at the couple and said:?”Here you go! As for the meaning of it all, that’s for you to figure out!”
The other day, as I did the dishes, helped the kids with their homework, fed the dogs and took out the trash, I?thought about just how mundane and unimpressive life can be at times. I wouldn’t say “boring,” but if a snapshot were taken of this aspect of our daily lives, it would be quite unremarkable, almost trivial.
Human beings are capable of some monumental things. We’re strong, resilient, dexterous, agile and quite intelligent. We can learn and become wise, unlike millions of other creatures that share our planet. The only things we can’t do is fly or hold our breaths longer than a minute or so.
Does making kids’ lunches quality as a task worthy of such beings? Can doing laundry possibly be part of a road to enlightenment? Will select-a-size paper towels lead us to greatness?
There are times when I shake my head, wondering if I was made for something better, something with a little more umph. Okay, in my current physical condition, it’s unlikely I’d pass the physical for the space program, nor am I?qualified to lead a scientific mission into the Amazon. But maybe I could become a civil servant, politician, reality TV actor or some sort of “specialist.”
I’ve heard it said that “life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” True enough.
When I was a teen, preparing for a career, I?never thought of disposable diapers, RESPs, life insurance or how to handle a mother-in-law. It never crossed my mind that I’d have to unclog a drain, separate recyclables or deal with pink eye.
I?espouse the virtues of a good vacuum cleaner. I price match every week. I?accept freebies. I brown bag it. I am constantly on the lookout for a good toilet bowl cleaner. I know I can find carpet cleaning here if things ever get out of hand.

OMG, I’ve turned into a combination Robin Williams and June Cleaver!
Maybe it’s a phase I’m going through, as I?reached middle age. Mind you, I’ve got plenty of time to achieve greatness and notoriety. After all, Grandma Moses began her painting career in her 70s and Colonel Sanders began his franchise in his 60s. Ronald Reagan was first elected to office at 55.

“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”
? Robert F. Kennedy

Is our quest to find the meaning of life pointless and selfish? Are we here to experience everything we can out of this blue green ball floating in space??Few circumstances or predicaments allow us to simply explore the world, eat, drink and merry from adulthood until death.
When I ponder the banality of it all, I then realize some simple truths.
There are those who struggle each day to stay alive and strive to get enough to eat. They can’t think much beyond the end of the week, because their plight is a challenge indeed. They are plagued by illness, disease and poverty and while they hope for the best, they simply cling to the idea their children will survive into adulthood.
Thousands of our fellow men, women and children die each day in tragic natural disasters, wars, plagues and from malnutrition.
Millions of our ancestors perished in two world wars and various other conflicts. Many never got a chance to experience life much beyond age 30.
If I were young again, could I?make a difference??If I?knew then what I?know now, would I?make different life choices?
Maybe it’s all about perspective.
Maybe diapers, strollers, nutritious snacks, light bulbs, bargain-hunting, multi-vitamins, proper footwear, skin moisturizer, UV rays, cotton balls, zip lock sandwich bags, electric garage door openers, counter tops and kitchen sinks are all part of the puzzle known as modern living.
The answer may not be blowing in the wind, as suggested by Bob Dylan, but it could be right in front of us, in those very things.
Nurturing our children, respecting the environment, taking care of our bodies and treading carefully are part of the bigger picture. They’re all part of an evolving humanity.
Our purpose may not involve some grandiose accomplishment or achieving guru status. It may simply involve being good parents to the next generation. It may be a means to an end – paying dues as it were.
When your dog licks your face or has that guilty look on her face, it’s hard not to feel happy about life with these four-legged family members.
When your children want to save the world and have a bright spark in their eyes, how can it be anything less than meaningful?
When you take your spouse’s hand and walk into the sunset, how it can it be anything but wondrous?
Legendary??No. Monumental??Depends. Memorable??Definitely.
Perhaps our lives are like dominoes –?every little bit impacts the whole.

“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable.
There is another theory, which states that this has already happened.”
– The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy