Purpose

[Pats]

You know, a while back I was feeling like I lost my purpose. My kids no longer needed me. This may seem weird, I don't know. But since then, I have found, what feels like, purpose. I didn't do it deliberately, but I've accumulated more plants that are thriving and, now, 3 small fish tanks, plus my 2 dogs. Every morning I turn lights on, feed them or spray them and throughout the day I check on them and, yes, talk to them. I feel like it's giving me a little bit of purpose again in keeping them alive and happy. I may buy something new that will benefit them - grow lights, filters, treats, toys. It just gives me something to focus time and energy on, I guess.

 

[Nervous Rex]

Everyone needs purpose. Nietzsche said, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." You found a why. I'm happy for you.

 

[Mia]

When I retired at fifty-five I was glad. Then I volunteered and didn't like it all that much. They seemed to play fast and loose with the idea that I was available all the time, whenever they called. I'm able to do a lot of things I was unable to do before, like cycling most days and weights and yoga. Yet I still feel a little lost without accomplishing as much as I did before, in a day.

Began recently cooking dinners for two elderly neighbors, who are pretty much unable to. Yet it's been a month and I'm not sure that I want to continue, I'm getting tired of it. I suspect I'll do it through the winter, and give it some time. I cook most days, so it's more a matter of making two extra meals but, it has become like a job again.

 

[Judge]

I've come to accept the possibility that purpose (in a cosmic sense) may not necessarily be something that is linear in our lives.

That we may indeed have a purpose. But for some that purpose may be singular, or occur only on a rare basis.

Equally that we may serve a purpose to others that we ourselves may never fully understand.

 

[Pats]

When I retired at fifty-five I was glad. Then I volunteered and didn't like it all that much. They seemed to play fast and loose with the idea that I was available all the time, whenever they called. I'm able to do a lot of things I was unable to do before, like cycling most days and weights and yoga. Yet I still feel a little lost without accomplishing as much as I did before, in a day.

Began recently cooking dinners for two elderly neighbors, who are pretty much unable to. Yet it's been a month and I'm not sure that I want to continue, I'm getting tired of it. I suspect I'll do it through the winter, and give it some time. I cook most days, so it's more a matter of making two extra meals but, it has become like a job again.

Things like that always feels like a job after a while. I don't volunteer because I know I can't agree to being at a certain place on a certain day at a certain time. It makes me feel selfish, but I know if I tried to commit I'd end up quitting. I like doing things for others, but it can't be a 'have to' situation.
I think it's wonderful that you fix meals for your elderly neighbors, and I'm sure they greatly appreciate it. You deserve praise for that.

 

[Wolfnox]

Hard rock and metal always help. Pats can dress up her dogs in leather and cut their fur into Mohawks.

 

[Pats]

I've come to accept the possibility that purpose (in a cosmic sense) may not necessarily be something that is linear in our lives.

That we may indeed have a purpose. But for some that purpose may be singular, or occur only on a rare basis.

Equally that we may serve a purpose to others that we ourselves may never fully understand.

Good insight. And I often tell myself that I my life may have a meaning that I just won't see. I feel useless as a member of church, but there's a chance I might somehow be helping someone who is more like me and struggling with it. Just like you did, right there.

 

[Thinx]

Yes maybe I kept someone else talking with a long and boring blah about something I find interesting, thereby making them miss being killed in an accident, which would result in them never meeting their partner, having 5 children and 17 grand children, 1 of whom discovers the secret of travelling thru space at warp speed. My work here is done...

But in case it isn't, I ll just potter on...

 

[Pats]

Hard rock and metal always help. Pats can dress up her dogs in leather and cut their fur into Mohawks.

funny you should say that. My daughter adopted a Lykoi (werewolf cat). They don't have much hair and the shape of their face - well, looks like a werewolf. But my daughter said it's always cold, so I crocheted a sweater for it with some leftover yarn. I told her it was an ugly sweater for an ugly cat. lol But I've just crocheted 2 more for the cat.

 

[Wolfnox]

funny you should say that. My daughter adopted a Lykoi (werewolf cat). They don't have much hair and the shape of their face - well, looks like a werewolf. But my daughter said it's always cold, so I crocheted a sweater for it with some leftover yarn. I told her it was an ugly sweater for an ugly cat. lol But I've just crocheted 2 more for the cat.

Looks like my uncle ralph.

 

[Mia]

Things like that always feels like a job after a while. I don't volunteer because I know I can't agree to being at a certain place on a certain day at a certain time. It makes me feel selfish, but I know if I tried to commit I'd end up quitting. I like doing things for others, but it can't be a 'have to' situation.

Sometimes it seems good to be selfish having spent your life doing things for everyone else. Looking after elderly parents, spouses, siblings, relatives, pets. Maybe it's more wanting to take back a little piece of what you may have had before people assumed that you would do everything for them. Finally wanting things for yourself.

 

[Fino]

Sounds like you're a nurturer by nature and feel fulfilled most when you're helping something to grow, whether it be humans or plants.

 

[Butterfly88]

I agree with Nervous Rex that everyone needs purpose. For me, that is volunteering. I'm glad you found something that works for you.

 

[Aspychata]

l volunteered since May and it felt good. I plan to work it in somehow next year.

 

[Aspychata]

funny you should say that. My daughter adopted a Lykoi (werewolf cat). They don't have much hair and the shape of their face - well, looks like a werewolf. But my daughter said it's always cold, so I crocheted a sweater for it with some leftover yarn. I told her it was an ugly sweater for an ugly cat. lol But I've just crocheted 2 more for the cat.

The eyes are beautiful, l just want to whisper cat stuff into those cute ears.

 

[unperson]

Happy birthday Pats.

 

[Gracey]

many happy returns of the day Pats

I still don't know why I'm 'here' and what it is I'm supposed to be doing.

I've been through the 'raising, guiding and nurturing' and come out the other side with little desire to continue.

Just sat, twiddling my thumbs and wondering what I can apply myself to next because I'm not great with boredom.

I wont volunteer. To date an organisation may hire my heart, soul, experience and enthusiasm.
Kindness they can have for free, commitment requires some sort of renumeration

 

[SusanLR]

funny you should say that. My daughter adopted a Lykoi (werewolf cat). They don't have much hair and the shape of their face - well, looks like a werewolf. But my daughter said it's always cold, so I crocheted a sweater for it with some leftover yarn. I told her it was an ugly sweater for an ugly cat. lol But I've just crocheted 2 more for the cat.

It needs sweaters because it's a 'cool' cat!
Looks like The Wolverine!

I've been trying to find a feeling of purpose too, and like you, Pats, I have odd little pets that I enjoy.
My frogs to be taken care of and fed every night. They like to play and jump on my hands and arms.
They chew on my finger sometimes and I always get a laugh out of their antics.
They bite at each other if one gets fed before another. They do play leap frog! Sometimes they
hug up together like best buds. They play with little plastic toy frogs I put around the water bowls.
I've seen them pick them up in their mouths and put them in the water bowl and get in with it.
It's remarkable what you learn about another species ways and how smart they really are when you
observe carefully.

I also like insects and have a beetle farm and I keep a boll weevil and a blackling beetle in a
beta vase on the bar where I eat. I observe them and their ways too.
They have emotion like we don't think about for insects. The Blackling beetle lost it's mate and
it just walked around and around for days looking for him.
The boll weevil laid an egg that went into a pupae. She watched over it all the time until it
incubated. It died within a few days and it did like the other beetle. It grieved, walked constantly
looking, wouldn't eat, then finally it took comfort in the other beetle of another species and they
sat side by side, sometimes hugging each other with their legs.
So interesting.
I also help raise Monarch butterflies safely to maturity.
I want to get some giant Praying Mantis' started in my plants inside the screened pool area.
Odd things, I know. But, they are a part of my routine and learn things no one thinks about.

 

[Mary Terry]

It needs sweaters because it's a 'cool' cat!
Looks like The Wolverine!

I've been trying to find a feeling of purpose too, and like you, Pats, I have odd little pets that I enjoy.
My frogs to be taken care of and fed every night. They like to play and jump on my hands and arms.
They chew on my finger sometimes and I always get a laugh out of their antics.
They bite at each other if one gets fed before another. They do play leap frog! Sometimes they
hug up together like best buds. They play with little plastic toy frogs I put around the water bowls.
I've seen them pick them up in their mouths and put them in the water bowl and get in with it.
It's remarkable what you learn about another species ways and how smart they really are when you
observe carefully.

I also like insects and have a beetle farm and I keep a boll weevil and a blackling beetle in a
beta vase on the bar where I eat. I observe them and their ways too.
They have emotion like we don't think about for insects. The Blackling beetle lost it's mate and
it just walked around and around for days looking for him.
The boll weevil laid an egg that went into a pupae. She watched over it all the time until it
incubated. It died within a few days and it did like the other beetle. It grieved, walked constantly
looking, wouldn't eat, then finally it took comfort in the other beetle of another species and they
sat side by side, sometimes hugging each other with their legs.
So interesting.

I want to get some giant Praying Mantis' started in my plants inside the screened pool area.
Odd things, I know. But, they are a part of my routine and learn things no one thinks about.

I like to observe insects, too. For 2 months, I've been watching a big spider make an enclosed web in a basil plant, lay eggs, and guard her babies who lived inside the web for several weeks. We had a frost last night so got to see if they survived. We have praying mantises and stick insects like the 'walking stick' in our yards. They fascinate me. But my favorite is the writing spider, like from Charlotte's Web. They are beautiful.

 

[Pats]

It needs sweaters because it's a 'cool' cat!
Looks like The Wolverine!

I've been trying to find a feeling of purpose too, and like you, Pats, I have odd little pets that I enjoy.
My frogs to be taken care of and fed every night. They like to play and jump on my hands and arms.
They chew on my finger sometimes and I always get a laugh out of their antics.
They bite at each other if one gets fed before another. They do play leap frog! Sometimes they
hug up together like best buds. They play with little plastic toy frogs I put around the water bowls.
I've seen them pick them up in their mouths and put them in the water bowl and get in with it.
It's remarkable what you learn about another species ways and how smart they really are when you
observe carefully.

I also like insects and have a beetle farm and I keep a boll weevil and a blackling beetle in a
beta vase on the bar where I eat. I observe them and their ways too.
They have emotion like we don't think about for insects. The Blackling beetle lost it's mate and
it just walked around and around for days looking for him.
The boll weevil laid an egg that went into a pupae. She watched over it all the time until it
incubated. It died within a few days and it did like the other beetle. It grieved, walked constantly
looking, wouldn't eat, then finally it took comfort in the other beetle of another species and they
sat side by side, sometimes hugging each other with their legs.
So interesting.
I also help raise Monarch butterflies safely to maturity.
I want to get some giant Praying Mantis' started in my plants inside the screened pool area.
Odd things, I know. But, they are a part of my routine and learn things no one thinks about.

That's neat! My daughter had frogs and one day I caught one of the bigger ones trying to eat one of the smaller ones and had to pull it out of the big ones mouth. lol But your observations are interesting.
I also enjoy observing animals and I spend time during the spring and fall watching the grizzlies at Brooks Falls through Explore.org. They have many different animals, birds, fish, whatever that they have live cams on, but I most enjoy the bears and each have their own personalities and styles.
Oh, the fish, too, can be interesting to watch.