Living with Purpose on Purpose
While on vacation in Temecula, California, We drove to the city Los Angeles to take a tour on one of the many tour busses that were waiting anxiously to take google eyed tourist to see where the “stars” hangout. My group and several other groups hoping to catch a glimpse of their particular celebrity gathered in the district of Hollywood and boarded the waiting busses. Our guide began by getting us pumped up and excited about the possibility of seeing a celebrity, telling us of all the “sightings” other tourist have made while taking the same tour. After our excitement was peaked, we were ready to go. The driver pulled off and we started our tour, driving through Hollywood frantic to get to Beverly Hills, home of the stars. As we approached the posh city of Beverly Hills there definitely was a marked difference in culture and class. We rode through the Beverly Hills streets ooing and ahhing at the swank restaurants and designer boutiques, hoping to see a “star”, which we never did, however, our tour guide was very entertaining and at some point some of us forgot we were even looking for “stars”.
The tales told by the tour guide about certain celebrities as we passed well known Beverly Hills restaurants, hotels, Sunset Strip “hot spots” and even police stations was a little “disenchanting”. I found myself wondering what all the fanfare was about. I mean, why were we, myself included, so anxious to see a “celebrity?” After hearing about all their bazaar behavior, I wondered why we are so infatuated?
The tour bus slowly began the route back to our starting point. However this time, as we passed through the streets of the district of Hollywood, something was different; unlike before, I noticed Hollywood. Unlike the quiet clean and serene streets of Beverly Hills, or even the “happening” hotspots of the Sunset Strip, Hollywood was teaming with people. There were people trying to sell you something, prostitutes, homeless people and hoards of aspiring “wannabes”. The atmosphere was like night and day. The affluent and well off live in one area and the less affluent and not so well off live in another area.
But, that’s not what concerns me, what concerns me is that we are ok with letting our own lives go to waste while we idolize someone else’s life? Since we all start out the same, what is it that makes us different from the “celebrities” we so anxiously follow or them from us? Why do we put “famous” people on a pedestal, becoming excited when we see them or even hear their name? Yet, we can’t get excited about the possibility of our own futures, and instead settle in to hopelessness? We are quick to celebrate someone “famous” and slow to celebrate ourselves! What the hell is wrong with us? Can’t we see that we have just as much potential and talent as the celebrities we idolize?
As the tour bus comes to a stop, I’m anxious to exit the bus, feeling the need to put some things into perspective. I noticed a young women who was more than likely a prostitute, dressed in a dress so short it looked like my nine year old nephews t-shirt, she was holding the hand of a 2 or 3 year old baby girl, escorting her around the corner to pee in the alley, I wondered if the lure of Hollywood fame and fortune was her reason for being there, I also wondered how much time passed before she gave up on herself and worse yet, will the baby girl follow in her footsteps.
What about you, are you so enamored by a celebrity that you’ve forgotten that there is a YOU, with dreams and passions of your own? Guess what, the celebrities we hold in such high regard are getting paid to do what they are passionate about? They love to act and sing and dance; and some of them do it well. What are you passionate about?
Here’s a thought, what would happen if you changed your focus and became just as excited about you and the possibility of your future as you are about the life of a “celebrity”?, What if you start living your own life on purpose? Well, that would make you a star!
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Grace and Peace
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a very thought-provoking post, Sylvia. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Yolanda, once we come to know who we are, we won’t look to others for our purpose.
wow is all I can same! Good stuff.. Made me think. Definitely needed to hear this!!
Ethan, thanks for the support, my hope is that people will come to know and understand that they too have purpose and their life is just as important.
Here’s to living your life with purpose on purpose!
Grace and Peace