I Hope You Dance - Lee Ann WomackSo, what is life all about?
Well, you often hear that
“life is a journey,” but
a journey to where, exactly?
Some people say that life is all about
acquiring knowledge. If that’s true, then why
do smart people always dress so badly?
There are those who say that life has no purpose;
It just “is”. Whoa, that’s just so “deep!”
Then there are people who say that we’re simply here
to have a family. After all, the desperate need
to replace ourselves is etched into the
genetic map of every living thing.
However, this means that our entire existence is
driven by our primitive sexual urges. Okay, sure,
a long weekend maybe, but our entire existence?
I don’t think so.
In fact, come a tiny bit closer and I’ll let you in
on a little secret …
ALL THESE IDEAS SOUND COMPLETELY
STUPID !!!
The only theme that resonates throughout the
numerous popular life theories is love. Love, in
all its fragile forms, is the one powerful, enduring
force that brings real meaning to our
everyday lives.
Of course, I’m not talking about romantic,
“kissy-kissy” love, although that is
pretty powerful stuff in itself.
It’s well documented that a broken heart feels
far more painful than squeezing lemon juice
over a deep paper cut.
But the love I mean is the fire that burns inside
us all, the inner warmth that prevents our soul
from freezing in the winters of despair,
It’s the love of life itself.
It’s the voice that says “Celebrate life, be creative!”
It brings with it the passion and understanding that
some things in life are worth dying for, but
there is so much more worth living for.
It encourages us to greet each moment the same way
we greet an old friend at the airport, to embrace
opportunities to express ourselves in a way
that makes us feel glad we exist.
This love of life leads us to help others
simply because it feels great to contribute
to those around us.
We all know how wonderful it feels to be a rock
for our family and friends (of course, there is a limit).
But as good as it sounds, and as much as
“you’re here to live the life you love” rings true.
It still brings up a whole pile of sticky questions.
Specifically:
WHY EXACTLY ARE YOU HERE?
What is it that you truly love?
People who don’t ask themselves these questions
Invariably go through life wondering why
it isn’t a lot more fun.
They often feel they’ve been left behind,
Or they can’t quite put it into words, but
they sense that something just smells a little funny.
The truth is that often we’re so focused on
what we are doing that we lose sight of
where we are going.
But what are we actually doing?
The modern world is filled with
questionable distractions,
deadlines, and priorities.
Day and night blur into one.
We get caught up in an avalanche of fears and desires
that propel us into a race we can’t possibly win.
So we rush, rush, rush, to get to a certain
ideal point in our life, and then what?
It’s just like when you drive all the way
to the store, get out of the car, and then
can’t remember what you came for.
So many of us start off dreaming about a
wonderful life that is wild and free,
but that’s usually a long way
from where we actually end up.
Sadly, we often discover this fact at the end,
when it’s too late.
You can’t start all over again.
And let me tell you, there are some awfully
bad feelings in this world. Like
“bubbles in the bath” guilt,
“pungent foot odor in the shoe store” embarrassment,
and “I can’t believe I did that on the first date” anxiety.
But of all the awful feelings that make you feel
sick to your stomach, nothing feels half as bad as
knowing you had a chance to do
what you truly love, and
you didn’t take it.
So what is your life’s passion?
What were you put on this earth to do?
The answer to these questions will unlock
the great mystery of life;
it’s as big as they come.
Here are a few hints that may help you
get on the right track.
First, no one is going to tell you about it.
It’s like walking around all day with a sign
on your back that says “Kick me.”
You must discover it for yourself.
It’s also highly unlikely that one day you’ll
Suddenly be bathed in bright light and your
life’s purpose will be laid out in a divine vision,
and it’s guaranteed that you won’t find it
on television.
Yes, it’s remotely possible that one day the blood
will rush to your brain and enable you to work it
all out without too much bother,
but the best way to spend some quality time alone,
asking yourself the tough questions.
This exercise is not that hard, and it’s
all about being honest. It’s as easy as
“Raise your hand if you feel you could
get more out of life.”
It’s also about getting to the essence of what
really matters. Never mind who moved
your cheese – ask yourself why you were
looking for cheese in the first place!
For some people this will simply be a case
of seeking out the moments in their life
that are beautiful and true
and then building a plan around them.
For others it may feel as if they are
staring into an abyss.
In extreme cases, such intense introspection
may cause the brain to swell to
dangerous dimensions.
Trust me, it’s worth the risk.
If you ask the big questions and listen
carefully to your heart, you will
eventually hear destiny call you.
A little voice – call it your conscience,
your inner self, or your internal mother-in-law – always
tell you the truth if you are prepared to hear it.
At first you may only become aware of
how your life has been stuck in a rut.
(Hey, join the club!)
Then you may realize what you really want,
but you just can’t quite make it happen.
Pretty soon though, it will hit you right between
the eyes. Just like when you’re halfway to the
beach and suddenly remember that you left
the iron on at home.
And when you know, or even suspect you know,
what you should be doing with your life,
then do it! Take a wild leap
in the dark if you have to,
then hit the ground running
because you don’t have a second to lose.
In spite of your feelings of invincibility
and immortality, our existence is
far more tenuous that we might think.
Feel your hand over your chest and feel
your heartbeat. That is actually your life clock
ticking, counting down the moments you have left.
One day it will stop. That is 100 percent guaranteed,
and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it.
So you can’t afford to throw away a single
precious second. Go after your dreams with
energy and passion, or you may as well stand back
and watch them wash down the drain.
If you waste your life sitting on the fence, you’ll
end up going nowhere in the brief time you have left.
And they say, “You can’t cross a chasm in two
small leaps.” It takes courage and commitment
to live your dreams.
(Of course, one needs to remember where
courage ends and stupidity begins.)
The truth is, we are all born with potential greatness
and blessed with numerous opportunities
to soar to dizzying new heights.
But sadly, many of us are too lazy,
too concerned about what others might think, or
too afraid of change to ever stretch our wings
and realize our tremendous talents.
It’s so important that you just do your
own things – whatever makes you truly happy –
and do it as best you can. It doesn’t matter
whether your “thing” is making snowballs,
holding your breath underwater,
hog calling, or
wielding a hair-dryer with dramatic effect.
The only thing that matters is that you feel
great about what you’re doing.
Keep in mind that whatever you do,
mistakes are part of life. So don’t waste time
kicking yourself for the past.
Don’t stall or stress over whether you’re
doing the right thing. You’ll always know
the answer in your heart.
Rather than be discouraged, always remember
that rejection and resistance are almost guaranteed
when you are doing something very important
and very special
When you set out to live your dream,
lots of people (including those who love you the most)
will try to hold you back.
In this world there are many miserable pessimists who
have given up their dreams and will tell you,
“You’re wasting your time – you’ll never make it.”
You may well be surrounded by people who
secretly want you to achieve less or even fail completely
just so they don’t look bad. “Forget about it,” they’ll say.
“It’s not worth it and it’s not right for you anyway.”
So it’s important to understand that following
your own path is incredibly rewarding,
but it’s definitely not easy.
Like everyone else, you will have some days
that are better than others.
Occasionally, everything may seem like
a total disaster area.
But whatever happens, just hang on!
Remember that everybody struggles at times. It’s
incredibly draining to live through the day doing
something you really don’t enjoy or even care about.
But if you follow your dreams, at least you will exhaust
yourself doing what you love most.
Now, you may not think that this will measure up to
Much in the global scheme of things.
But believe me, it does.
When you get the most out of your life,
savoring every last drop,
it will transform everything about you
from ordinary to extraordinary.
When you do what you love, you can pull back
the bed sheets every morning feeling excited
about beginning another day,
and you’ll be filled with a heartfelt joy
that is contagious.
Just like when you start laughing out loud,
and you make someone else start laughing,
and then someone else,
until you are all laughing so hard your eyes water,
and get terrible stomach cramps,
it’s hard to breathe, and
you can’t even stand up.
But best of all, by doing things that make
your whiskers curl up with delight (assuming,
of course, that you actually have whiskers).
you will inspire someone
to go after their dreams.
and that, my friend,
is how you change the world!
You know what? Even if you make mistakes,
if you’re wrong about almost everything,
you’ll still enjoy an amazing,
fun-filled adventure,
you will go to sleep at night knowing you
gave your all and made a difference
and wake up each day looking forward to
a future that is as beautiful and exciting
as you can imagine.
You know something else? If you just listen
to your heart and use your head,
you’ll never be wrong.
~ from the book
“The Meaning of Life”
by Bradley Trevor Greive
