Hello mi neighbour | Our real purpose is to cultivate love, compassion, kindness

If you were chosen to be Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA), you would have had to be born any where between 1887 and 1901. As a matter of fact, you could not have exited your mother’s womb before or after August 17, 1887. Additionally, you would have had to be the youngest of 11 children and the only one along with your sister to survive into adulthood. In preparation for adulthood, your father, whose name would have had to be Malchus Moziah Garvey, would have instilled in you a love for books, etc.

Marcus Garvey, it could have been said, was uniquely created to live and contribute to the upliftment of the black race. And not just the black race, humanity as a whole. He discovered his purpose early in life and he wasted no time in fulfilling this purpose. How about you? Our world was and is still full of people who have discovered their reason for living and are making their contribution to the well-being of humanity. Everyone of us came into this world on a mission for good. That’s Divine design!

The idea that every individual is uniquely created to live and contribute to the world is a profound, commonly held belief that fuels personal development. It suggests that we are NOT copies but “originals” designed with specific talents, personalities, and purposes. From a scientific perspective, the probability of your being born is estimated at one in 1,000 million, (some research says trillions) highlighting that our existence is statistically unique. You (as a seed not visible to the naked eye), from your father, were chosen to make that contact with the egg from your mother that would start the journey to your entrance into this world some nine months later. Welcome! This is mind-boggling! King David puts it this way: “ For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made!” Read about this king who, as a child killed a bear, a lion and a giant to save those whom he loved! He found his purpose early in life and lived it. Long story, though.

So, no one entered the world just by chance, despite their circumstances of entry. That’s a good place to start searching for your purpose in this world. And bear in mind that your purpose is NOT to destroy, injure or cause pain, but to build, uplift and contribute to the well-being of God’s creation in all its facets. Hear what the Creator of life says to His creatures:

Thou shall NOT kill.

Thou shall NOT commit adultery.

Thou shall NOT steal.

Thou shall NOT bear false witness against thy neighbour – though shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Abide by these and joy and peace will abide by you!

Yes, some may say that there is no predefined purpose, thus giving individuals freedom to create their own meaning through their own experiences, but that’s dangerous! Seek counsel on that one. Purpose is often seen as the driving force that motivates you. It is not just about what you do, but the deepest motive behind those actions. Rather than comparing yourself to others, embrace your own story, talents, and differences.

Living purposefully often involves taking action on your passions regarding human development: serving others, creating something meaningful, being a blessing to someone – even your enemy. Heaven will smile at you. Just recently, l was sharing some of my most rewarding and joy-filled moments with a friend. Those were the moments when l sacrificially put a smile on the heart of a destitute person who needed a little food, a pair of shoes or just a listening ear. Though not much was expended monetarily, the value added to those lives and the reciprocal satisfaction were priceless.

At its core, our real purpose is to cultivate love, compassion, and kindness – to “rise by lifting others” and to reduce suffering by reducing our greed for more. Our unique skills are meant for the advancement of the community. Rather than looking around to find someone else to solve that problem, solve it, if you can. Put your foot in the water. You may find yourself miraculously ‘walking on water’ and even teaching others to do likewise. But, seriously, those who use their gifts and talents for the good of others, whatever the cost, are rewarded by goodness without measure. Try it!

Contributing often means volunteering your time or using your expertise to address situations that annoy in the world. For sure, annoyance often leads to some real positive outcomes. Go ahead and create some annoyance if you think it will help. Just be careful. Your contribution does not have to change the entire world; just ensure that those around you, where it may matter most, are beneficiaries.

I hope that I’ve helped you to take another look at your world and to see how your current activities align with your God-given purpose. You may need to do some realignment, should it come to that. This will certainly matter on the day of reckoning. Fear not, just do what you have to do. “Up you mighty race”. Peace.

KINDLY HELP A NEIGHBOUR WITH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. Stove

2. Refrigerator

3. Bed

4. Food

5. Help with medication

6. Financial assistance to start a little business

To help, please call Silton Townsend @ 876 649-9636/876 884-3866 or deposit in acct #351 044 276 NCB. Alternatively, send donations to Hello Neighbour C/o 53 Half-Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; Paypal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. Contact email: helloneighbour@yahoo.com. Visit hellomineighbourja.blogspot.com. Townsend exclusively manages the collections and distributions mentioned in this column and is neither an employee nor agent of The Gleaner.