Life is too short to wait for tomorrow to pursue your life purpose.
That's what I've been thinking since my four years old niece passed away back in December. At the same time I am aware that “Life is a long journey…” because one of my friends’ grandfather died but he was 102 years old.
Every other month, when we hear heart-breaking news about lives taken away prematurely, the fear in us escalates to a new level, but at the same time the will to live a purposeful life to its fullest is strong for some.
As I write this my heart is in my throat, burning for all those who lost their lives or some of parts of they body on Monday in the Boston marathon booming. These are some of the most horrendous things that make me angry and lure me to live in my bubble and forget about the outside world.
In a blink of an eye a person decides to do something atrocious and lives are taken. In this instants we are reminded of the age we live. The age of terrorism. The age of fear. The age of no safety. In this age in which there is so many illnesses that find their way into our bodies unbeknown to us. And outside we find no place to escape to.
How can we not live in fear?
Knowing that God's is right next to us. That no matter how long we got left on this earth, God brought us here for a purpose. I thank God every waking hour for my life and the lives of my loved ones and many other people in the world. At night before I sleep I say a little prayer to glorify His name.
This year I accepted God’s calling to do his work. The work He sent me to this world to perform, my life purpose. I also decided to be fearless but I must say fear never leaves our side in this life. In fact when one decides to be fearless, her fears leap to a different level. It is a human nature to be afraid of what lies ahead.
I recently finished reading Fearless {Awakening to My Life’s Purpose Through Breast Cancer} by Maimah S. Karmo, the founder and chief executive officer of the Tigerlily Foundation. A six-year survivor of breast cancer. Her memoir is about how God saved her from breast cancer and gave her a new life full of abundance and purpose.
The beauty of memoirs is the way its author takes you behind the scene of a their life story.
I received the book before the end of 2012, however I couldn't finish it because, as I mentioned before, before the end of the year our world collapsed when our little niece passed away prematurely. I also took my time because I love her style of writing, I wanted to take in her words like a good cup of hot chocolate drink.
Karmo, through her beautiful writing, took me on a voyager through the landscape of Liberia. In part I can relate so well to her childhood recollection in her native country. The state of freedom a child climbing trees in a tropical weather still plays in my mind as I read her own version of child’s life in Liberia.
I couldn’t relate too so easily to her journey through breast cancer. But with her calm way of telling a story, Maimah takes me through her thoughts on life before and after breast cancer.
She recognises that Breast Cancer brought her old world down but at the same time it opened up a new life she would never thought possible. She doesn't go into details about the ugliness of the illness, yet one can imagine the pain a cancer patient has to struggle during the moments of intense chemo.
Not everyone who have had Breast Cancer survives so when she went through all her treatments and her doctor told her the most important words in her struggle with cancer "You are cancer free", she didn't know how to live after cancer.
In looking for answers, she found her calling, she made her mission to inspire other people to
give up the facade of having it all together, give up control, and just believe. Life is not without imperfection... being fearless isn't about living without fear; it is about jumping into life despite your fear
(Maimah S. Karmo, Fearless, p. xxii)
To be honest, I didn’t get the title at first. How can fearless go together with breast cancer.
In the last chapter of her memoir Maimah writes
My new name is “Fearless.” Welcome to my world. The fearless female’s journey is not without fear – it is about leaping into fear, embracing change, and becoming stronger through every challenge. Our goal is to inspire and be inspired and to light someone else’s candle along the way.
As I write this book, I sometimes think, What the heck am I doing writing at this age? I have something to say, and I deserve to say it. This is my life, and I’ll create it as I want.
(Maimah S. Karmo, Fearless, p. 257)
I get it now, that was my thought after I read this passage. I tell my story on my blog because along the way I would like to inspire at least one person. Maybe writing my ramblings will inspire someone to tell their beautiful story. Everyone’s life journey is important in it own right and it deserves to be told.
And, I am glad Maimah listened to her instincts, Oprah and her family's encougement to write her story for the world to read. But most importantly I am over the moon her daughter asked her
“Mommy,” she asked me, “do you believe?” […]
“I believe,” I said. And I do.
(Maimah S. Karmo, Fearless, p. 259)
It’s also thanks to her inspiring story that I try to live my life as if it is the last minute. As I live my daily, with God near I will fulfil my life purpose even if I have few hours or a lifetime on this earth. With God near, my new name is Fearless, I leap into life with head held high I will embrace change, and will become stronger with every new challenge.
May you be fearless and find your life purpose in this age of uncertainty.