You know what drives a lot of people crazy? Thinking they have to find their purpose. What’s the point-i-tis occupies many, many minds.

This is the case even though teacher after teacher...y’know, those experts we've turned to in hopes they’ll help us find what they supposedly have...

Have said, in one way or another, that This Is It.

As it is.

As in, no point. As in, no purpose. As in, no meaning.

But we ignore the teachers on this, because we’re pretty sure that that can’t be right.

Because we do not like this THIS.

No we don’t like needing money, or arguing with partners, or not sleeping, or eating alone. We don’t like these politicians or that religion or that personality trait. We don’t like the idea that some people claim to have an enlightened state and we don’t. We don’t like those feelings and these thoughts and this life that has no obvious purpose.  

Do. Not. Like. No thank you.

And we’re also pretty sure that if we don’t like it, there can’t possibly be any good or any benefit in any thing.

Most of us live with the conviction that our likes and dislikes are a valid determiner of whether something has value.

So we say, “Pfft” to life as it is, because, don’t like.

And then we commence seeking for what we do like.

Which is-  More, Better, Gimme.

Now that, we like.

So we seek it, and hard.

We seek better-liked feelings. We seek permanence - far more than life has ever promised, attempting to manipulate via kale and exercise to attain a longer life, or following careful rules hoping to entice enlightenment to provide unending bliss. We seek assurances of safety, though life offers absolutely none.

And we also seek meaning and purpose, just so we can earn the right to continue breathing in and out.

Though this makes no sense.

I mean, we're already here and breathing, so life clearly doesn't need us to qualify for it.  Somehow though, that already-ness doesn't get in the way our trying to be worthy of life anyway.

And somehow we also haven't noticed that seeking can only lead to disappointment, dissatisfaction and even downright suffering.

It simply cannot succeed at bringing the control over existence that is intended. That plan is flawed.

We aim to find satisfaction with what’s here, but only after we get something that’s not here.

Or we'll be ok with What Is after it changes to something better liked, or after we somehow find a way to like it.

Later.

We're waiting.

Our acceptance of the present is qualified and conditional and on hold.

So of course we experience the present as not enough.

Which is exactly the opposite of what we’re looking for.

Screw that This is It stuff.

And then we dare to bargain with existence, essentially saying, ”Ok Life, tell you what... I’ll get on a “path,” I’ll study and inquire and meditate and work to attain. I’ll earn it. But then I want my reward. I want a purpose.”

Which never comes.

Because see, This is still It.  

Liked or not.

Now if right about here, the mind begins to pout and say, “Well, if there’s no purpose, then why go on? Why be alive?”...

We might first notice how if it can't get what it wants, it threatens to die.  Like any toddler having a tantrum.

And then we might answer, “Because, why not be alive?"  

Here we are. Is this not good enough for us?

After all, are we more important than other life forms? For example do mosquitos need a point or purpose to exist? Do dust mites sit around dissatisfied with existence because they’re not attaining enlightenment or scoring more bliss, and they don't know whyyyyyy?

No. Most likely ('cause of course who knows) they live their lives, going about the business of mosquito- living. They're not trying to make things different or more to their liking.

Life as it is is enough.

Whereas we humans- we ever-so-special, grasping, full of importance humans- are regularly making demands of existence.

And then we hurt or fear or are outraged when it doesn't work.

So we just might suffer in ways dust mites do not.

Meanwhile, maybe What Is actually knows what it's doing, having things just as they are.

Maybe our vague sense of lacking something, of missing purpose, is actually the point we nutty humans have been so eager to find.

Right here in front of us, all along.

Maybe even our suffering or laughter or anger or illness or love or boredom or resistance or lack of presence is also the point and purpose we seek.

I mean, all of that is What Is too.

Existence doesn't mind struggle.

That's as good a thing to experience as any other.

All experiences equal. Despite human preferences.

So sure we can keep wanting something else, waiting for something else, or trying to make something else happen.  And sure we can keep struggling and demanding a purpose which is already here and already ours.

We can ditch it all and go for a walk too.

Why not.

Existence says yes.

Because like or dislike,

Want or not want,

Seek or don’t seek,

Purpose or no purpose...

This is still...

It.

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