Sofia Rappa
Life’s purpose is a highly debated phenomenon- is our purpose to serve some higher being, to do good, to build a family, or travel the world? Should we all subscribe to one big thing, some kind of dictating main idea that will guide each and every one of us to general greatness? I don’t think so.
I believe that life’s purpose is conditional, not constant- similar to shoe sizing. The everyday sneaker slides on over any old pair of socks, laces up just right, and is a trusty and reliable option. I wear a size 7 ½. Those shoes have a purpose, which they serve as needed. When my mother calls me saying we are going to a friend-of-a-friend’s wedding though, my trusty old sneakers might not serve the purpose. With knots in their laces and dirt caked on the ridges, clunky and worn, they become useless for the occasion. Instead, a size 8 kitten heel, passed down to me by some older cousin, does the trick. Going to work at the ice cream shop, I slide on my size 7 non-slip black shoes, mandatory. All different sizes, all different shoes, all serving different purposes.
Like shoes, there is no one-size fits all policy for purpose. A single person could try on many different shoe sizes, whether they fit them or not. A whole group of people might fit the same shoe size, but wear different kinds of shoes. Purpose is similar. A single person could try to fulfill their purpose as an entrepreneur, and keep in mind their purpose as a do-gooder. A whole group of people could bond over a shared purpose, maybe a servitude under a shared god, yet show their devotion in very different ways. In a world where there is so much debate on who is right and wrong, and how we should live, we need to embrace purpose as something that is fluid and conditional. The limitations of all people to adhering to a shared purpose in life are vast, creating an almost robotic and distorted society where interpersonal communication could not be valued and no purpose could ever actually be fulfilled.
I believe that when it comes to purpose, if the shoe fits, wear it. Pick up and fulfill a new purpose each year. Choose them like new pairs of flip-flops, just little disposables that’ll be perfect for the season until the foam rips. Keep some around for years and years, like the pair of old reliable rainboots in the back of the closet- until they’re tired and no longer needed. Most importantly, purposes should not be forced to fit into a person’s life. Cinderella’s sisters couldn’t make those petite glass slippers fit, just like not everyone can make traveling the world and seeing all of the sights fit.
I believe that purposes are subject to personal alteration and are contingent on personal aspirations, determinations, and patterns. If everybody wore the same pair of chunky stilettos, the clacking sounds on the ground would become incessant and bothersome. In a world full of footwear, select the shoe that fits you, and wear it until it’s all worn out.