Pondering Your Purpose in Life? It's All Relative

What is it about reaching the midpoint of life that sets off the alarm bells about making sure our lives matter? Should we change direction, start over, adjust mid-course? And how in the world can we be happy through it all?

Maybe it's all relative. Or maybe it has something to do with my relatives. Maybe you can relate? 

{Overuse of the word relate intended!}

On Mother's Day I rode with my sister and her family to church. Since my brother-in-law’s mother also went with us, I was sitting with my nephew in the way-back row of my sister's SUV, where I could be a quiet observer.

Just as we’re ready to depart, my brother-in-law can’t find his sunglasses. We wait for him while he looks in the other car, and just as he gets back in, my niece says wait, she forgot her earbuds and disappears into house. 

When she returns, my sister asks the kids if they remembered to bring the gift bag sitting in the kitchen for their grandmother. They say no so my sister gets out of the car, but they call her back saying wait, they have the gift after all.

Finally we roll out of the garage.

Just one exit down the highway my sister chokes on a bite of granola bar and has a coughing fit that lasts all the way to the next exit.

Which we miss. 

My brother-in-law says my sister’s coughing fit made him forget where he was going. 

From the center lane, he takes the SUV over the grassy median to rejoin the exit ramp we were supposed to be on. {No worries, no one was harmed during this stunt.}

We finally arrive at the church parking lot and as my brother-in-law backs the car into a parking space, my nephew decides to show me a video on his phone.

As we’re backing in, someone lays on the horn. We jerk to a stop and all look around. No one seems to be near us. “WHAT was THAT?” my brother-in-law asks.

My nephew sheepishly realizes the horn was coming from the video on his phone.

“Oh Dad, that was my video,” he says. “Remember that time you laid on the horn to scare Mom and I recorded it?”

My sister interrupts, “Yes we all remember it, but why are you playing it now?”

Whatever my nephew wanted to show me now seems unimportant as he puts his phone back in his pocket.

We pile out of the car and I’m somehow handed my niece’s stuffed animal dog, complete with a leash to carry into church. 

I make a mental note to drive my own car to church next time. 

Just to preserve my peace of mind {or at least preserve a piece of my mind}.

It's all relative, isn't it? 

There’s always a way that seems smoother, a life that looks more beautiful, more rewarding, more peaceful than ours. 

There’s always one that seems richer, with accomplishments greater, and a path that seems easier than the one we're on.

But maybe our place, our role, our purpose in life has less to do with what we make of it and more to do with how we receive what we've been given.

Maybe mid-life is about really seeing with my heart and soul and mind what it's all about.

Maybe it's about living my real-life that's been given to me, here and now, and aspiring to live a holy life, as we all are called to do.

A few days later, I have another outing planned with the relatives.

I'm waiting on the curb for my sister to pick me up to see the play Mary Poppins, staged at a local theatre by my niece and nephew’s school. The car is full and once again, I'm a passenger.

My brother-in-law opens the door and says, “Welcome to the Mary Poppins bus.”

I climb in and suddenly realize what I need. 

Perhaps a spoonful of sugar would help when I go on these traveling escapades with the relatives.

In the most delightful way, of course.

I'm having coffee with my friends at Holley Gerth's place at Coffee for your Heart. Join me there for more posts from my blogging friends!