Known Questions - Unknown Answers

Dear One,

Finally, I end my self-imposed break with this post. Sometimes, thoughts fail to arouse the words you are searching for, leaving you hollow and empty. Although sporadic with stray incidents, the last few sabbatical weeks were plain and uneventful; yet it was wistfully spent in deep introspection and meditation on the poignant questions of life.

Many were the questions that buzzed around my head and heart, yet few answers actually gave me respite. A note about questions - Questions have a queer yet fascinating way of arousing your inner curiosity and intent, propelling you to find the hidden answers. But with time, those very questions become a prelude to a mad quest for answers, leaving you thoroughly high and dry for the rest of your life. Yet, ironically, some questions have the power to change the way you think in a jiffy, invariably changing your very life for better or for worse. Questions and answers are like twins, born of the same womb, yet so different. One arouses your soul and the other fulfills.

One of my favorite questions to ask is "Who are you?" - A simple enough question. Yet the responses that I get clearly illustrate that for the most part, people don't really know. We rely on labels to do the job -- labels that describe where we're from, what we do for a living, when we were born, or what we'd like others to think of us.

But that's not what I'm talking about.

The question is - Who ARE you - at your core? I'm not asking your age, your income, or your job title. I am not inquiring about your astrological sign. What I want to know is - what do you really believe in? What do you value above all else? What's the central philosophy by which you live your life?

I want to know what you're doing here - what your purpose is on this planet. I want to know what you would give your life for; what you are most afraid of; how you want to be remembered.

In essence, these are the simplest of questions; and yet they're also the most difficult to answer. They demand the sort of honesty and perspective that few people are willing or able to muster up. They hold the key to your happiness, your well-being, and your success. And they are possibly the most important questions you'll ever be asked.

Unfortunately, many people live in a manner which completely contradicts their beliefs, values, and true selves, making decisions based primarily on others' expectations. They operate on the tenuous hope that pleasing others will provide them with a sense of fulfillment and worth.

The problem with this approach is that the fulfillment they experience is fleeting. Their sense of self-worth is fragile and overshadowed by the looming threat that the approval they're getting might be taken away. The nagging feeling that their life is at odds with their core values and principles eats away at them. They may feel angry or ashamed; they may be resentful of those people they so desperately wish to please. They're unhappy and they don't know why.

The simple truth is this: YOU ARE NOT HERE TO PLEASE OTHERS. You are here first and foremost to express your truth and to live by the values which define you. You're here to love; to laugh; to live! So don't be afraid to ask yourself these questions. Forget what your answers SHOULD be. Give them the time and attention that they deserve. BE HONEST. And if you discover along the way that your choices aren't reflecting your true values and principles, CHOOSE DIFFERENTLY.

It's YOUR life. Live it ON PURPOSE. ASK the right questions to FIND the right answers and that shall set you FREE.

In peace.

S.R