By Judith Signal
Advice Columnist
Dear Judith,
The big questions of life have really been coming down on me lately, like who are we, why am I here and what is my purpose? All great questions with few solid answers. Any advice on finding some meaningful solutions to these soul searching questions?
—Purpose
Dear Purpose,
First off, please know that you are not alone. I’m pretty sure almost every college kid thinks about these type of questions on a daily basis. The ’20s are an extremely exciting time in a person’s life, but they can also be incredibly terrifying. It’s a deep period of change and confusion, so I understand these questions. Let me try and break it down for you:
Who are we? Well, Purpose, we are human beings. Humans are comprised of many elements — love, fear, happiness, sadness, ambition, jealousy and greed. We are strong. We are fragile. But, we are also beautiful. I hope you know all of this, Purpose. All of these things make up who we are — plus your passions, your dreams and your goals. It’s a lot, isn’t it? But that’s OK. It’s what makes us uniquely ourselves. I find it best to not get too existential, because I don’t think it’s going to get us anywhere. We are here. We are surrounded by love and opportunity. For me, that is enough. I urge you to start thinking the same way. Live in the moment. Accept yourself.
Why are we here? I don’t know what your religion is, Purpose, or even if you believe in a higher being. Regardless, it doesn’t affect my answer too much. You’re here because you have a purpose. To be a friend, a son, a brother, a sister, a daughter, a creator — anything you put your mind to. Being true to yourself and following the identity you have created is absolutely key.
So that leads me to your last question — What is your purpose? If you don’t know yet, you will soon. You’ll know it when you feel it within your heart and you feel a kind of unadulterated happiness. Trust me, Purpose — it’s coming.
And when it does, the only questions you’ll be asking yourself is, how did I ever think I couldn’t find happiness in the first place?
Love, Judith
