Who am I? Why am I here? Basic, yet profound, questions. Ones we rarely address as we struggle to earn a living, complete an education, raise a family, survive, succeed. We work to sustain a lifestyle. We devote time and energy to economic pursuits; athletic endeavors; social engagements; entertainment. When do we have time to ponder these questions? What do they matter for living our lives anyway?
You are a dynamic being living in a diverse, compelling, constantly changing environment. You experience life as a great unfolding. Conditions are transient. Relationships are fleeting. Motivations ebb and flow. You might characterize the adventure as an illusion, yet you lose yourself in that illusion. To find a way - the way out of the illusion - you must act. You must live, deliberately and fully.
Every obstacle, every challenge, every encounter is an opportunity to find the right path - to journey one step closer to where you are meant to be. Life is for the living, not the casual observers or the timid wallflowers, but those that animate and act - those that bring energy to life.
You are not of this world - you are in it. Your quest is not to succumb to the lure of the ego but rather to use your energy, your opportunity, your circumstance to grow, to learn, and to teach. Even at the level of the most casual encounter, two people can lose sight of separate interests, if only for a moment. That moment is enough. You see, the torch you bear lights the way for others. The torches the others carry light the way for you.
Lessons of life are expressed through the dynamic symphony of motion, and energy, and change. In this world you cannot stay still; you either surge forward or fall back. You must choose, you must act, you must live. Or the answers to those questions: "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?" won't matter.
The ultimate objective, your destiny beyond this life, is a magnificence defying description. To fulfill your purpose, to life a full and fulfilling life, you have at your disposal energy and will, strength and courage, and the wisdom of spirit as guide.
The relevance of the epic recounted in the Bible is not in telling a tale of an ancient people and their journey through a foreign land to a new life. Rather, the beauty and inspiration of the Bible narrative is that it illustrates and informs your life and mine. You and I are the souls leaving the garden, facing danger, losing our way. You and I bind ourselves in slavery. It is through faith of heart and perseverance in action that we find the way out and journey to the Promised Land.
Look beyond the dirt and rocks; the laws and the labels; the hunger and the strife; and recognize the truth. Life is for the living. Don't fear this life nor seek truth in material possessions or things of this world. You have a guide deep inside - a guide you feel, you sense, one you can come to know. Find truth within. Then live life with gusto - live it for the adventure it is meant to be.