Of Purpose and Chaos

Deepak Chopra explains chaos theory by using an example of Grand Central Station in New York. Imagine that you were able to look at the activities taking place at Grand Central Station - all of them. From the surface, everything seems chaotic; people are rushing here and there in a seemingly state of chaos. But at a much deeper level, we know that there is order to all of it. Every person that is rushing about - and those that are not - are doing that action for a reason. There is no chaos. Everything is happening for a reason.

In other words, according to chaos theory, there is no chaos at all! Everything that happens in life does so for a reason.

Why are you here? Not at this blog, but in existence? Why do you live right now in this moment of time? It is not chaotic; there is a reason - what is it? In other words, what is your purpose? Everything exists for a reason; a purpose. What is yours?

All of us, at one point or another, are faced with this question, and finding the answer is the adventure of a lifetime - literally. It is an exciting crusade of discovery and experience. It is a wondrous awareness that we seek. Man (or woman) know thyself. That is the task at hand.

One other clue about your purpose. It is unique. Your purpose is not the same as mine, just as two passengers at Grand Central Station hurrying toward the same train have different purposes; although they may travel together for a time, they have different reasons for being there. Your purpose is for you alone and it is vital. Vital because only you can accomplish it.

Know that you are here to accomplish something that only you can do. It doesn't have to be earth-shattering or history-making. But it has to be done. A perfect example of this is my father. From a materialistic and historical perspective, he didn't amount to much.

My father was born with a brain injury that left the right side of his body with palsy; unable to be used - or so the "experts" said. At a relatively young age - 32, I believe (I was very young - 3 or 4 years old), he injured his back and was totally disabled for the rest of his life. At one point he was addicted to pain pills and other narcotics prescribed indiscriminately by his doctors. He never held another job.

He died at the age of 66 from a brain tumor. After he was diagnosed and told that his condition was terminal, he shared with me some of the many regrets he had. How he had wanted to accomplish so much more with his life, and would now never have the opportunity. And then he shared the things that he wouldn't ever do different; things of which he felt accomplished and proud.

And here's the point. His life was not unfulfilled. He had accomplished his purpose - several of them, actually. One of which is me, writing this blog. Late night discussions had with my father as a teenager and young adult shaped my understanding of life, and set my feet upon a path of looking for that in life which cannot be seen, but which directs all that we do.

His sadness and regret - of which he was unaware - was that he never understood what his purpose was. He wanted to do things that would be historical and earth shattering. But that was not why he was here.

All of us are faced with this same difficulty. Finding out what our purpose in life might be, and the only way that I know to discover your purpose is to surrender. Give in to that hunch that you have inside you. Let out your inner, hidden voice. Give action to that which you feel deeply inside you.

Each of us has a unique, special blend of talents, thoughts, ideas and experiences that make us who we are. We simply need to get in touch with those things. I know it is not easy - believe me, I know. But it can be done. You will recognize your purpose because it will feel natural for you - you would do it (will do it in many cases) without reward or compensation. You will feel yourself touch that infinite source of all that is when you are engaged in your purpose.

Whatever forces have brought you to this point - here, right now, reading this blog - they have wanted you to receive this message. Perhaps it is one that you have heard before and one that you will have to hear many times yet to come before you allow your purpose to take life. It has taken me 46 years.

All my life I could sense and see things that others couldn't - or wouldn't - understand. I have read hundreds, possibly even thousands of articles, books and papers on self awareness, self improvement and making the journey within. And all of that was so that I could write this blog.

And here is the funny thing about it. The realization that this is a part of my purpose and what I am here for came to me in the bathtub! As sure as if I had been struck by lightning, I realized that I needed to start writing this blog. I didn't know if anyone would read it - still don't for that matter - but that wasn't important. I know that there is purpose in what I am doing, and I feel something inside that I wish I could just hand to everyone that I meet - JOY! Complete, total joy. I love this because I know that is is something that I am uniquely suited to do - that I am meant to do.

Whatever it takes; however long it takes; where ever your search takes you, find your purpose and let it loose.

Don't worry about what other's might think. Don't worry about whether or not it will "make a difference," because all things make a difference. My father made a difference - a great difference.