Sunday, July 22, 2012

What Is Our Purpose?

Are we humans in the process of evolving to some different intellectual plane or greater understanding of ourselves? I think we are, but it is not apparent what is driving this, short term nor what this higher plain will look like. Long term, survival will drive the final selection process, but what is success? Survival. Off spring? Might? Money? Influence?       (plain vs plane, i do not know)

The search for spirituality or a god is intended to produce a strong sense of direction and purpose, which ultimately becomes our motivation for life, for our actions. Or is it our god that provides the motivation? OK. So where does this leave me? Am I just a lost soul, adrift, without a strong sense of purpose? Ultimately, this suggests that a successful person knows where they are headed, and has substantial motivation in that direction. They are not adrift.

I have never been particularly motivated, long term. That is not to say that I have not at times been quite motivated. I had no overall plan, beyond staying out of trouble, not committing to something which would not be comfortable for me, not getting in substantially. over my depth.

I guess it is time to understand my purpose and direction for the rest of my life, now that I have reached near retirement.

2 comments:

tess said...

if you're interested in spirituality, you might enjoy this: http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2526/pg2526.txt

Anonymous said...

Dan Barker wrote a book entitled "The Good Atheist", in which he debates the Rick Warren premise of a purpose-driven life. Dan Barker postulates that there is no purpose of life but purpose to life--that we can choose life-driven purpose. He goes on to offer that if we really want a purpose? Find a problem to solve and work on it. Like, um, last year, I crocheted hats and scarves for the homeless and the needy. Made almost 50 of them. That was 50 people who had something instead of nothing, and though it took months and months to do and went through a lot of yarn? I appreciate that it's part of me--even as the compulsive obsession over food is, too.