What's The Point?

I was talking to a friend last week. Rick's been trying to deal with what seemed to be an insurmountable set of expectations put on him. As I listened to him talk, and held space for him to diffuse some of the energy, he asked, more in frustration than anything, "Oh, what's the point?" At that moment, he gave up. I smiled.

A funny thing happens when one gives up. It's called 'getting out of responsibility and resistance'. When we do this, it opens the door for inspiration to come.

What's the point, indeed? There is no point. If you look for a predestined point to life and living, there is none. Life is pointless. This is the greatest gift God has given us. This might come as a surprise to some who think life does have a point and it's up to us to discover what it is then live up to it.

There are those in the world who think they've discovered the point of life and are living up to it. More than likely, those people were told what the point is and have accepted it.

For my generation, this is what our parents taught us; you go to college, get a degree, start a career, get married, have a family and be happy. This, they said, was 'settling down'. It's something you settle on, come to terms with and you are supposed to settle not for what is best for you, but with that which is acceptable and within the boundaries of 'without struggle'.

Settle.

Down.

Yet, this is not the point of life (unless it is). Life is pointless. There is no point because, I believe, God wants us to create a point and a purpose for our life. And this is the function of life, that we may determine that purpose. In so doing, we create ourselves. Life is like a fresh canvas and everyday, we each have the opportunity to decide what colors are going to be on the canvas, if it's to be a seascape or landscape or self-portrait.

When it comes to the question, "What purpose do I have for my life?", there is no wrong answer. If you choose to go down one path and you find it doesn't serve you, you are free to choose another path. The trick is in discerning if it's really serving you, or not.

I spent many years trying to live up to the meaning my parents had for my life. I was supposed to join the Marine Corps, become an officer and serve my country with pride and honor. When I flunked the physical due to a heart murmur (one so slight the family doctor never made mention of it), my father created a new expectation and purpose for my life: follow in the family business.

Even if I didn't enjoy it, that didn't matter to him. My folks had started the business with every intention of handing it down to my sister and myself when they were ready to retire. When it came time to make the whole thing legal, against the better judgement of family and friends who all saw the opportunity for wealth and security, I walked away from the table. All I could see was the continuation of my parents running my life. Telling my father, "no, thank you" was one of the most difficult things I've ever done. It's also been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.

Had I not had the conviction to act on what I felt in my Heart was in my own best interest, I might have walked my parents path rather than having the freedom to create my own path.

Had my path been to "be the good son", then I may have failed miserably! The meaning of the events in our lives is meant to be determined by us individually. We are to give the events purpose and meaning. Whatever we decide is the correct answer. It's really that simple. Free Will has given us that much authority, that much freedom and that much power to create.

If you don't believe this, you may still be looking for the point of life. And all the while, Life has been waiting for you to decide Its purpose.

This is what spiritual freedom is all about; the ability to change that which no longer serves us and to decide what does serve us. As one of my teachers once put it, "Love is the ability to have life, and life is the freedom of expression of one's being".

Rick found his answer, too...