Purpose, Life, Job and Work

A very special friend of mine let me listen to his tape last night which had to do with purpose, life, job and work.   When I drove home after and had time to contemplate what I had heard, I realized that everything was so true and not just in my life. 

We all ask at some point "What is my purpose in life" after being at the same job for many years or just feeling in that rut.  Has your job defined who you are?  When you look deep inside, many of you would have to say yes.  When you go out with other people, does your job still consume your time as well, is it what you speak of when you're away from it, does it follow you home?  Again, most of you would have to say, yes it does. How many times are you sitting somewhere and all the people you are with talk about is what happened with their job or their boss or co-workers.  How many times are you sitting and listening to other people at different tables in a restaurant or on a bus or in a store - speaking the same words.  Just as the home that the job paid for defines some people or the car they drive or the clothes they wear,  these are only things, they are not the true self.  People have let their jobs truly define their life.

You are not your job, you are not that person that goes to work every day and sits at a desk or works in a field or performs any other feats of labor for pay.  You are a unique individual.  Job and work are two different sides of this coin.

Your job is what you do out of necessity.  Your life is your true work.  And your work is your purpose and your purpose is your work.  It is up to each one of us to go out and do good for others and ourselves.  Your work is to smile at another person on the street and say hello.  Your work is to bless everyone who crosses your path.  It doesn't matter if the person is your friend, a stranger or a perceived enemy.  Bless each and every person, animal, tree, flower, essence in your life.  Your work is to exude your spiritual nature to all that are on your path.  This is your true purpose. 

We were put here to learn.  The saying 'you learn from your mistakes' is so true.  It may not happen the first time, the second time or even the third, but eventually if you keep repeating the same mistakes over and over, the message of 'don't do this' eventually will sink in.  Some lessons are very costly and some are very simple.  It is up to you to decipher which is which in your life. 

The next time you start to speak about your job remember that it is just an means to an end.  It is not you.  It is not who you really are.  Put the same effort into living your life as you do at your job.  Put more effort into living your life and doing your life's work.  Your life is truly your purpose and even though I say that your work is not finished here on this earthly plane, it means nothing more that you were put here for that purpose of making life better for those around you, those that follow after you and the generations to come.

Namaste