“As long as I am breathing, in my eyes, I am just beginning.” ~ Criss Jami

The heart is a source. It is a source of power and light. This source that we have beating deep within our bodies is more powerful than we give credit. It allows us to feel, to love, grow and change. Without this divine source emanating from us, we may not ever know life. But what is it to know life?

Through a sphere of purpose we explore these thoughts.

It’s always interesting to ponder the thought of how we ended up where we now stand, how we became the person that we are. What drives us? What is the set of conditions that brought us here? Where are these conditions born? Through what spheres must we travel to find these elusive answers?

We must travel through all spheres to live, to awaken and to become.

We must learn our hearts before we can choose our desires, our callings and our kismet.

This being said, I often wonder what drives a man to do what he does, to do what he thinks he should, to accept or pursue his calling in life. Though this is different for all men, through my own questions I find my own answers.

What is a calling? What is the feeling that overwhelms the heart and mind to know this calling is real?

Is it a feeling of acceptance, belonging? Is it a sense of duty? Is it a sphere of desire, or is it a sphere of purpose?

Is it both?

For answers, I look at the stock broker.

What drives a man to become a stock broker? Is it the money? Is it a sense of purpose? Does he simply love statistics, math and numbers? What fruits does this profession bring spiritually? Do fruits of spiritual awareness matter to this man?

No matter the answers, the man chose what he wanted in life and pursued it until it was his. Regardless of motivation, he became what he wanted to become through effort, perseverance and hard work. Maybe it was all chance, or maybe it wasn’t. Still, he sits where he sits, doing what he does.

It’s easy to argue that this man’s driving force is money. But instead, what if it’s something that he truly loves? What if this motivation is simply to live happy, to provide for a family? What if this is all?

For me, so long as one is kind and compassionate about his life and fellow neighbors, there is nothing wrong with a profession, no matter the driving force. It is his to do with as he pleases, and for no one else to herald judgment.

Perhaps this is his life’s goal, a goal he’s held since a small child.

On that note, I remember being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up.

This answer changed over the years of course. At first, it was a paleontologist. I had a love for dinosaurs just as every other child probably did. It then turned into being an archaeologist. I had a fascination with Indiana Jones and other stories of explorers hunting treasures around the globe.

As the years ticked by, I thought of being an architect, an astronaut, pilot, psychologist, teacher and even an FBI agent. Then at one point I think I even wanted to be a musician, though my singing voice would certainly shred eardrums.

What I realized though, I was only good at a few things.

Then I realized further, I was only interested in a few things completely in my heart and mind.

I was good at drawing and writing. I had a wild imagination, and I could harness it and put it into words and colors; I could breathe life into my imagination, though still on such a small scale.

This became my passion, my calling and I pursue it still.

Though many bumps have been felt along the way, I still look at my life with little regret. I’d love to say that I have nothing in the way of regret, and often I’m reminded that I shouldn’t, but it is a human condition to think back to a point and to wonder; what if?

What if I didn’t join the Marines? What if I took that job working offshore in the gulf oil industry? What if I left home for college like I’d planned so many years ago and never returned?

Well, then at this tender young age of mine, just a couple of short years before the big 40, I probably wouldn’t have so many beautiful blessings in life. In fact, even if one simple thing was changed, then I probably wouldn’t have been sitting where I was at that precise moment when I met my daughter’s mother.

I cannot imagine a life without my little girl, so I choose not to regret. All my decisions and choices were full of purpose, just so that she could be.

No matter what we do in life, no matter our profession or whatever label we’re given, it is up to us to pursue what we feel is our life’s work, our masterpiece; our grand symphony to the universe.

Even if nobody ever reads our great work, stares at our artful masterpiece, or hears our orchestra of life, we are the ones who see, hear and feel it all. It is ours to carry and ours to bear. This sphere is inescapable. We must embrace this.

Like the stock broker, the baseball player, the prostitute and the elected congressman, we are all living our lives the only way we know how. Some may be more spiritual than others. Some are more respected than others, but no matter, we are all neighbors. We are all living, looking and striving to be our best in this life.

Walk with awareness in the sphere of purpose. Understand that it is different for everyone. Keep a close eye on what matters most, and a warm hand on your heart. Only through our passions can we find our peace.

It is within the knowledge of the self, the gnosis of our hearts, and through our attunement of these that will one day open our eyes to our own true greatness.