As I help my friends and family celebrate yet another Mother's Day, I take my usual moment of pause. During this brief moment, I journey through my past, present, and future. I ask myself important questions that I have asked so many times before.
Who am I? What am I doing? Does what I am doing matter? Is it the right thing for me? Better yet, is it the right thing for others? Am I fulfilling my purpose in life?
As a single woman who has no children, I wholeheartly support the institutions of family and marriage. For many years I longed to have a family of my own. While my desire to have my own children dissipates with age, for practical reasons, I have a burning ambition within to make an important difference in the lives of others. I long to make my life count in the best possible way it was meant to be. I never want to be accused of being an underachiever when it comes to using my life to make a difference in the lives of others.
For the past 11 years, I have been on a mission to not waste my life. The road along this mission has been a winding pathway sometimes strewn with debris that entangles me. Escaping this entanglement builds necessary strength and character. I despise the entanglement yet marvel at the precious results that are visible sometimes only long after the escape.
I like my jouney. I like that I have developed a passion for giving back even more than what has been handed to me. I like that I have grown to have a fondness for the political process, that I have gained a vision for how I can impact health and poverty on a national and perhaps international level.
Yes, life is valuable. Where I have been makes me who I am today. And I am using the vision I have for my future to fuel the action plan that I execute today. All of my resources are extended toward this process. I have full confidence in a great return on investment. There is no other option.
Everything counts. Every moment. Every throught. Every action. Every dollar.
The question then becomes not "Can I do more?" but rather "What more can I be doing?".
