06 Dec Are You A Squirrel? (90 Second Read)

What is my purpose? What is my passion? What is my life’s work?

In my experience, these well meaning questions can actually sow pain and confusion.

The idea of finding one’s purpose is meant to provide clarity and direction in creating a meaningful life. But all too often, when the answers don’t come easily, we think there is something wrong, not just with our lives but with our very selves.

This belief that there is something wrong with us if our sense of purpose isn’t clear, or is as yet unfulfilled, can keep us from engaging with the life we already have. And engaging with that life as fully as possible, moment by moment, is actually our greatest mission of all.

Because of this, it’s always helpful to take the pressure out of our purpose explorations.

Here’s something I discovered recently that may really help.

When squirrels gather acorns for the winter, they bury them far and wide. Then, they end up forgetting where up to 75% of those acorns are hidden.

Big fail, right? Funny, but also tragic.

Except: many of those same acorns sprout, grow into seedlings, and go on to become mature trees. A squirrel’s mistake, without its knowledge or understanding, plays a key role in sustaining a healthy forest.

Perhaps in this way you, too, are a squirrel. What if you’re already serving a wonderful purpose in your life through choices, actions, and even “mistakes” that you’re totally unaware of?

Does that possibility cause you to relax, even just a little, when stressing about what you’re “meant to do” in this lifetime?

I hope so.