He was only three-years-old when he stood up and proudly declared his undying love for her in front of the whole pre-school class. That was also the day he vowed he would one day marry her and years later after initially losing touch in secondary school and reconnecting again in college, he proposed to her in that very same classroom and they plan to get married later this year.
It sounds like a story straight out of Hollywood so keep an eye out for it in the cinema over the next few years.
The conviction of that little three-year-old boy got me thinking about the things we are absolutely certain about.
It doesn’t take too many years of life on this planet to realise that you can be absolutely certain about very little. Most of the hopes and dreams we had as children don’t materialise later on in life and for many of us, that’s something we are truly grateful for. It’s only in hindsight that we realise how blessed we are that some of the things we longed for, did not come about – perhaps that includes your first love.
My daughter wants to be a teacher. I know that many children go through a phase of wanting to be a teacher. Then they want to be a firefighter, a policeman, nurse or truck driver. In the case of my daughter though, I have no doubt that she will indeed one day be a teacher – it’s as if she was born to teach. (I also come from a long line of teachers so, we’re bound to have one in our family).
From as far back as my husband can remember, he always longed to be married, have two children and own his own house. Many years later, he considers himself truly blessed to have all of this in his life.
Maybe you knew you were going to sing for a living? You just wanted to be a mom, or you knew you wanted to help people and so you’ve become a doctor, a nurse, a carer or a firefighter. Or perhaps it’s the one you married? You knew from the moment you saw him that he would be your man and now, there he is standing in the kitchen, cooking you breakfast (that sounds like another Hollywood movie).
Perhaps like me though, you’ve never been absolutely certain about your destiny or purpose. I guess I always wanted to make a difference for the good in people’s lives and so everything I’ve done has been filtered through that general philosophy, but there’s no one particular thing that has driven me or that I’ve felt compelled to do.
And that’s okay.
Over the years, even though I have never had one specific thing I knew I would do, I have become more aware of the things that give me the most joy. Although this has changed over the years, my purpose has become clearer.
I feel more focused than ever and am more determined to say ‘yes’ to the things that resonate within that narrow framework and ‘no’ to the things that don’t.
If you’re grappling with understanding your destiny or purpose for being on this planet, don’t worry! Surrender your fear and anxiety and just enjoy the space you’re in right now and the people you’re with in this moment. Begin to notice the things you enjoy most and the times you feel most at ease and at peace. These are little clues to your purpose – your calling – what you were born to do.
Embrace those moments of revelation. Revel in them and gravitate toward them. That’s your purpose – your destiny.