Everyone believes his purpose is different from the next guy. If you ask most American young adults, they believe (or at least want to believe) that their purpose is some earth-quaking, change-the-world kind of story. Most of the time it is something that has not yet happened or the opportunity has yet to present itself.
That's the thing with the American Dream and being young.
Purpose and fulfillment is something I contemplate often. Life is zooming by right before my eyes and if I don’t figure it out soon, I’m afraid I will be old and frail before I realize what I am supposed to do with my life. It seems like just yesterday I was dying to graduate high school and get my life started for real. Now as I already have one master’s degree and I’ve started Physician Assistant school, I find myself saying the same thing. I can’t wait until I finish school so I can start making some money and living for real. My husband I talk of the day when we can have a nice big yard with no other house in sight, or when we can afford a new Tesla, as if these things will finally release us from some imaginary chains of not-yet-living-for-real that shackle us. Whenever I get to thinking this way, my past history working in palliative care always reminds me of the mindset I really should have.
The goal of palliative care is to ease the unpleasant symptoms of uncomfortable disease or even death. Walking onto the palliative care unit at the beginning of every shift to care for suffering people all those nights moved something in me. It made me thankful, most definitely. More importantly, it made me more aware of what was good and meaningful about life. The majority of the patients I worked with didn't have that much life left to live. The families didn't have that much time left with their loved ones.
When I watched closely to the things people did, the things they talked about as their time was running out, it wasn't to recount the successes, awards, degrees, wealth, and status of their loved one. They talked about memories. About happiness. About times they felt loved. About times they felt important and special because of the dying loved one. No one ever said, “He truly accomplished the American Dream!” No one said it, because they didn’t care that the loved one had the biggest house on the street or didn’t make partner at the law firm. These American Dream victories aren’t real. They aren’t the things that make this one short life we have good.
You can try to find happiness and purpose in the big American Dream. I just hope my words do not go to waste. I hope what I experienced in palliative care means something to you. I hope you don't go your whole life trying to fill the hole in your heart with the wrong things. I hope it occurs to you that happiness and true purpose are staring you in the face. They can happen right now without having a new car or getting to travel the world. Don’t let chasing after the American Dream steal the happiness and meaning in every day.
To us young’uns trying to live the American Dream: please don't miss out on life. Don’t forget about today. Don't miss out on the innate beauty of making someone happy. Don't forget to make someone feel important and change the world around you in little ways. Call your parents or your grandparents. Let your bestfriend know why she is your best friend. If you feel alone and you think the only person who cares about you is your mom, call that woman up and take her out to dinner, because you might be the only one from whom she really wants to feel love. Make other people a priority, and I promise you, when you are on your deathbed, you will be nothing but grateful.
“Be somebody that makes everybody feel like a somebody.” - Kid President
“I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.” - Vincent van Gogh
“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” - Jesus, in John 15:13 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jhn.15.13.NLT
If you are looking for more in your life, I would love for you to meet Jesus and witness the ways he loved people.
