By Jared Madison
Jared Madison
Gazing out into the dark abyss of a star filled night, the mind may deeply consider its own conception. An internal dialogue begins without a single word being spoken; this, if further unpacked, may emit a wave of chill bumps throughout any being, resembling the feeling of hairlike tentacles caressing the back of the neck from a crawling spider. How are unspoken words heard with the mind’s eye?
This seemingly small idea of “self-talk” parallels something out of a science fiction movie and may have adequately served as an episode description for the 1959 show, “The Twilight Zone.” As the mind ponders its own existence, our consciousness simultaneously falls deeper down the symbolic rabbit hole. It seems as if questions only beget more questions in a never-ending cycle of disappointing ignorance. Through this we may now come to understand the madness of The Hatter more aptly.
It is therefore evident that through abandoning our deepest inquisitions, we accept blissful ignorance rather than madness. Yet, even if we try to escape it, we are still harassed like a hungry mosquito by the questions, “Why am I here?” and “What is my purpose?” I am here to put your mind at ease, to save you from madness and ceaseless questioning. You do not have a purpose. Let me explain…
If you were a tree, what would your purpose be? To give shade? To build buildings, bridges, structures of all kinds from the mind’s eye? What about to breathe in carbon dioxide and therefore produce life giving oxygen for countless species on the planet? No. Those things would not be your purpose. They would simply be the biproduct of you being you. You see, nature can be a great teacher to us if we study its qualities. From cooling the entire planet off through a process called evapotranspiration, from absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, these gentle, shade giving companions of ours called trees do so much for the planet by just being themselves.
So, your purpose therefore is to be you.
In our experience of being human we tend to relate purpose with something that we are doing, more directly related to a career perhaps. This can lead to delirium. If there was ever a tree that believed that it was not living up to its purpose or doing what it was supposed to be doing on this planet, it would go crazy, uproot itself in search of a vocation, shrivel up and die.
You cannot try to be you. You are you. Who are you beyond the expectations society has charged you with? As you walk through this life, you fulfill your purpose every time you help someone in need. You complete your life’s work each time you bring a smile to someone’s face. Your karma was complete when you made someone or even something as small as a flower feel loved.
We are often too hard on ourselves. We search the world for meaning, like a dog chasing its tail. We have always had meaning in ourselves, in the small gestures that add up over the course of a lifetime that resonate with the true nature of who we are. You may not have the job you want, or you may not be living the life that you want to live right now. However, your purpose was fulfilled when you complimented that random stranger on the street and saved them from a lifelong feeling of being invisible.
To live your purpose, live, breathe, and walk your awesome you-ness! You are a teacher, motivator, and savior through your gentle act of being. You have given priceless lessons to the hearts you have broken. You have captivated and motivated countless souls by traversing the challenges and tribulations of your life. Unbeknownst to you, you have helped others in creating boundaries both emotionally and spiritually. Whenever you share information, you are giving life to another. Your hug and your smile have been medicine you’ve administered to an ailing world.
Even in your imperfection, you are beautiful. Throughout each of our lives, we may coalesce between the frequencies of light and darkness, yet each action, phase, harsh word, and loving gesture have their perfect place in the puzzle of eternity. If you want to experience your purpose and understand the reason why you are here, floating on a rock in the middle of space… breathe, walk, talk, open doors for other people, donate to charities, pet your animal, plant a tree, go to work, make someone feel special, forgive someone, be nice, or not. Above all, remember that you are the most unique thing in existence, and because of this, you can never and will never not be on purpose and will be doing that purpose by just being.
Jared Madison is a self-proclaimed “New Renaissance Man.” From practicing Reiki to earning a degree in physics, he is a student of life who calls creativity his superpower. A photographer, graphic designer, poet, writer, and entrepreneur, Jared also loves to travel, ride rollercoasters, and eat good food.
