These Neale Donald Walsch’s words in the title spur me to write today because they convey a very powerful message to me. They also remind me of George Bernard Shaw’s mission in life.
George Bernard Shaw said “This is the true joy in life – being used for a purpose recognised by yourself as a mighty one, being a true force of Nature instead of being a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievance complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and for as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.
I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It’s a sort of splendid torch which I’ve got to hold up for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
Often stress and worry makes a home inside us as we begin to fear that our life is not going anywhere, and that the world is passing by, leaving us behind. After trying very hard we get back on the rails, but soon come off again, which adds more weight to our stress and worry.
I find one way to extricate myself from this sense of stagnation is to make a switch from too much focus on improving my life to helping someone else better their life. Creating the sense that my life is dedicated to the betterment of lives of others is highly uplifting for me. First and foremost it harmonises my inner and outer self. The conflict within is eliminated. The mind becomes free of excessive clutter, and is ready to see the world with new eyes. This creates a true sense of clear life purpose. This is what Neale Donald Walsch calls: Aligning with your soul!
This catalytic process brings about phenomenal changes:
- Touching the hearts of others and making a difference in their lives becomes my prime purpose. The spirit in me honours the spirit in others.
- I cease to be an effect and become the cause of everything that I experience in life. I am never a victim.
- Being strongly judgmental and excessively critical is replaced by acceptance of all as they are. My preference is to accept what may be disagreeable to my senses, and I choose to live with it rather than within it. Thus, I am not adversely affected by external influences. I remain steadfast in my purpose.
- I seek to understand at a deeper level; my senses enable me to hear what is said, and understand what is not spoken. This is compassion which opens the heart of the other person to let me in. I am now able to influence constructive change.
- I see all events with Nature’s purpose sown within them without judgment and patiently allow time to unfold the mystery in every event.
- I remain independent of the opinions of others. Thus my inner guiding mechanism is allowed to prevail at all times. My intuitive faculties are my best compass for seeing the appropriate path. Reasoning becomes secondary.
- I cease to see dividing boundaries, and the world begins to show its real self as a breath-taking tapestry of rich colours and cultures.
- Giving selflessly simply becomes a habit that fuels joy and inner strength, and amazingly every recipient of my gift becomes a giver to experience my joy. Giving becomes contagious. When you give your life, you begin to live!
Life is now a beacon of hope, love and true purpose.
I end with the words of Albert Pike
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us;
what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal”
Anil Kumar, August ’14