Purpose of Life

Questioning the purpose of life after a long time. Reason, I lost my high paying, comfort giving job recently. We all start off our adult life wanting to be something or someone. We align our education and jobs to meet that goal. As long as the life is comfortable and we are happy, we go on. Sometime losing the original purpose for which we set out in the first place. 

Occasionally we introspect. Especially when the life stops being as joyful as it used to be or the financial or job security at stake. That is happening to me right now.

Eversince I lost job, I have lost a part of me. Feels like there is a death. Yes, death of my identity. Death of my passion had long occured when I was not getting joy from working but was just dragging my feet for financial security and want of better choices. Now, it is time to rethink and it is very painful.

It is almost like purpose of life is to pay bills, EMI's, earn for basic needs. And if all that happens while the job at hand is joyful and gives meaning then all the more better. Wondering which is primary, job satisfaction or survival?

Checking back what gives me joy...as a child being in village agriculture household was joyful. Surrounded by greenery, trees and water, harvesting vegetables all that was joy. But as I grew up, I knew that would not fetch me the income, nor the prestige or status. Everyone was running after education and life in cities which offers all the comforts and I did that too. Once I came to city, I got addicted to its compforts and it is very hard to imagine yourself anywhere other than your comfortable city life. To keep it going, you have to work hard and find places that will pay you well to cover all the bills and then you get ambitious behind bigger package.

I cannot say I did not enjoy my work life. Since I selected social work as my profession, my job was helping people. I did have fun in all the work I did. There was that component of connecting with people, working on empowerment, training and influencing people for behaviour change. It never felt like work rather a passion most of the time. Only when there were petty bosses or office politics or job insecurity is when I felt low. But work per se always gave me utmost satisfaction and I have achieved a lot.

Now, the part is to find another cause or a place with social mission to connect with community and get my livelihood and package to meet my urban comforts of my family. So the hunt continues....

Ego-less mothers are the key for human species survival

 For the survival of human species, God created the mothers with qualities like kindness, empathy, forgiveness and above all less ego. If our mothers were to take offence with our tantrums, rebellion, insults and humiliation and decided to punish us without giving us food or safety, human generations would have very low chances of survival.

I realised this today as I was having an argument with my now young adult son. From teenage years he has been putting up some airs about him. Always resisting any idea or insight offered to him, belittling it by saying my generation does not understand their needs and values. This is a constant and we have disagreements ending in deciding not to have any further conversations. Yet, the next minute I appear on his room door with his breakfast or some eatables that I think are his favourite. 

Then I also realised, it is not just him. I too have been the same with my mom. Always resisting, fighting and putting her down and her ideas and opinions as outdated and yet she continued the caring and loving act. That is what made me to think, that it is inborn. It is put in there with a purpose by the creator for the survival of our species!

However, if both mothers and children were to understand that they need each other and the going can be smooth by offering some kind words and understanding rather than resistance and fighting, life can be much more beautiful and fun. What do you think?