Opening our eyes and breathing every day is a gift, and finding meaning in our existence is something we definitely aspire for. Living with purpose requires a conscious and a continuous work with ourselves.
Each one has a personal story and from my experience I have come to understand, that the purpose of life is not a place to reach or a goal to achieve, but a path that is traveled in a very personal way. Sometimes this path is smooth but at times rough, through which you have to learn to travel in order to grow.
Although sometimes, we do not find meaning in what we are living, I can certainly assure you that in each experience God had a special purpose that has made me transcend.
Thinking about my origin, the family to which I belong, the people with whom I had to interact, my work, the material and human losses I have faced, health problems and everything that my personal history contains up to this moment… they have generated in me a feeling of gratitude that has allowed me to discover mainly in difficult moments, peace and strength.
At the beginning of 2019, I was diagnosed with a breast cancer and, although it was unexpected and disturbing news, I had many opportunities to experience God’s love and care (I am a person of faith). For example, in the hospital where I had the treatment, I found a welcoming and warm environment, with committed medical staffs and with great human sensitivity, that allowed my health situation to be much more bearable, to the point of achieving in me the conviction that despite the circumstance, I was fortunate and this in turn greatly helped my process of healing and personal growth.
All this process has allowed me to rethink the value and the meaning of my life and thereby seek the purpose to which I have been called, now striving mostly to put aside prejudices, fears, insecurities and everything that hinders my free spirit.
For me, to live in freedom is to enjoy each day as if it was the last, because each moment, each day is unique and unrepeatable. Feeling grateful and satisfied with what I have, enjoying the love I receive and being able to love others, appreciating every detail and I am convinced that, although we cannot choose what happens to us, we can choose how to face it.
I also have come to understand that a life well lived is about serving others. We often stop doing favors to others because we are too busy, as if we are afraid of wasting time; but helping those who cross our path, far from taking something away from us, enriches us. The time we invest in serving others is not wasted, but transformed. I am sure that helping our fellow human beings helps us, because our existence acquires greater meaning and is an excellent form of personal growth.
When we discover the meaning of our life and live passionately for what we do and when we are able to transmit it day by day, everything changes. It improves our self-esteem, we feel useful and valuable, optimistic and positive; this causes a transformative effect, not only in ourselves but also in the people around us, as it generates a multiplier effect that benefits the entire environment.
So, take heart! We are in this world to be happy; when you wake up every morning, breathe, smile and thank God for life and all that it gives you.
GABRIELA MORA ABARCA
(Psychologist of «Nuestra Señora de Desamparados» School, Costa Rica)