My grandmothers, Lucille and Angela, endured many hardships in life, including the
Great Depression, World War II, and in the case of Lucille, the tragic accidental death of
her beloved husband at the age of 30. Since government subsidies were lacking at that
time, Lucille took work in a factory to support her two young children. My grandmothers
taught me lessons of strength, sacrifice for family and unconditional love. Although they
didn’t have education, professional careers or fancy job titles, they demonstrated the
most beautiful of life purpose: love.

Today, people seem to be searching for their life purpose and sometimes express
emptiness.

I would like to share these beautiful thoughts from one of my favorite authors, Paulo
Cuelo, borrowed from his book, Manuscript Found in Accra, as he addresses life
purpose:

• Ask a flower in the field: ”Do you feel useful? After all, you do nothing but
  produce the same flowers over and over.”
• And the flower will answer: “I am beautiful, and beauty is my reason for living.”
• Ask the river” “Do you feel useful given that all you do is keep flowing in the same
  direction?”.
• And the river will answer: “”I’m not trying to be useful; I’m trying to be a river”.
• Don’t try to be useful. Try to be yourself; that is enough, and that makes all the
  difference.

Sometimes taking part in a great battle will be the thing that will help to change
the course of history.But sometimes you can do that simply by smiling, for no reason, at
someone you happen to pass on the street.

Without intending to, you might have saved the life of a complete stranger, who also
thought he was useless and might have been ready to kill himself until a smile gave him
new hope and confidence.”

Sending you love and warmest wishes,

Kristin