A man at the height of his success looked at the good things he had created. His business flourished. His family was strong and happy. He was active in the community. He enjoyed many pleasures afforded him by his discipline and dedication.
And he was joyless.
By every measure, he should be deeply satisfied with his situation, but he felt he lacked a purpose. His dissatisfaction grew into anguish. Every night he would pray to God to please tell him his purpose. Certainly there was more to be done in the world! He was willing to give up all that he had in exchange for a reason for his existence. He was distraught that night after night no answer came.
Seeing his malaise, his wife recommended that he place a lily under his bed after saying his prayer for revelation. The lily would invite the angels to his aid. In desperation, he did so.
“Please,” he prayed, “reveal to me my purpose in this life. I am just a raindrop on the window of the universe.” He placed a freshly cut lily under his bed and fell asleep.
He was started from slumber by a bright light. There at the foot of the bed stood a beautiful angel, or he assumed it was an angel. The light was too bright to look directly into.
“You have done well, faithful servant. To reward you I will reveal your purpose to you.”
The man was in awe.
“Please, please tell me that I may live in my purpose!”
“Your purpose,” began the angel, “is to change the life of one person, one person in need, finding strength by your actions in this world.”
“Oh generous angel, please tell me who this person is that I may seek them out!” he begged.
“That is not to be. You will never know the person nor hear their story, nor share in their happiness,” the angel replied.
The man felt desperation well in his heart, but knew that his purpose may not be for his own aggrandizement. Yet, he could not help but ask another desperate question.
“Can you tell me when will this person pass through my life?”
“I can tell you, but you may also choose to not know. If you ask me again, I will tell you.”
“Yes, yes, please tell me!” the man replied.
“Be sure that your heart wants to know and not your head,” warned the angel.
“My heart is the one asking the question, dear angel” he replied.
“I will tell you,” said the angel. “It was two years ago in the summer that this person came through your life, passing on changed but anonymous to you.”
The man stared.
“Then what am I to do with the remainder of my life?”
The angel began to fade.
“I have told you all that I was sent to tell you. Live the life of a man who has fulfilled his purpose.”
The angel was gone and darkness returned to the room.
What does the man do with this information? How you answer that question will tell you something about your relationship with the world you inhabit.
How do you live the life of a man who has already fulfilled his purpose?
Do you think the man committed suicide?
Did he retire?
Did he give away all of his belongings?
If this was you, what would be the thing you did two years ago that changed someone’s life?
For me, the thought experiment allows me to revel in the common things of life. Sometimes the weight of having a purpose interferes with the day-to-day beauty of the world.
Having a purpose is a very western idea.
–Dorian
