It was a beautiful sunny morning– the sun had let out just the right amount of shine. Birds were chirping. The dew on our grassy upcountry compound was slowly evaporating. Saturday, 7am. The 9 year old me was super stoked that a new day had dawned. My excitement was not mainly ‘cause of the new day though, rather, it was mainly because I strongly hoped my dad had come back from the city, where he worked from Monday to Friday. He would often come on Friday nights when we, the children, were fast asleep. Every Saturday morning therefore, I would peep out of our bedroom window to check if his car was parked outside the main compound. That would be the evidence that Dad was home!
Dad would always take a walk with me–hand-in-hand– around the farm, as he did random as well as targeted inspections in the farm at around 10am. We would often be accompanied by our caretaker who would report to Dad, informing him of the progress he had made in the farm as well as the hurdles he encountered in the previous week(s). Dad would then come up with strategies of how to overcome the challenges while capitalizing on the successes. I surely learnt much of administration from my dad on these Saturday 10am farm walk-throughs.
Fast forward to when I turned 18, I somehow found myself in the university pursuing a bachelors’ degree in Business Administration where my administration skills were fine-tuned. It was until recently that I realized that there are no wasted moments, no wasted lessons in life. Dad indirectly passed on administrative skills that would later shape my entire life. I however struggled to find my ‘perfect fit’ in the corporate world. There I was in my early 20s (by then, out of my parents’ home, alone and full of questions) with a degree in Business Administration which at that moment, it seemed as though I had wasted my four years doing something that I wouldn’t wish to pursue in the corporate world. Why did I pursue all these 64 business units? What’s the end game? What now? I asked myself.
These questions would keep bugging me and they created anxiety as I thought of my next phase in life. Then I read a story of a guy named Moz. This guy was adopted by the Princess of the most powerful kingdom in his time. He was hence raised in the palace, with all the luxury that comes with it. He got world-class education and grew up to become a cultured, sophisticated prince. One day, Prince Moz takes a tour in the kingdom and finds someone roughing up one of the slaves that came from his native land. Prince Moz, out of quick temper, takes matters into his own hands and beats the oppressor. Unfortunately, the guy dies and shortly after, Prince Moz becomes a fugitive in the kingdom; he’s hunted down by the king, the most powerful man on earth at the time. So Moz flees off to the desert. From a prince to a fugitive. From one of the most honored man in the kingdom to one of the most hated. From one of the most powerful leaders to a shepherd in the desert What now, Moz? Did all the years in royal training amount to nothing?
Moz’s story does not end there though. He makes a come back decades later and powerfully leads the slaves out of captivity. He also ends up being one of the most influential authors in history. His palace years were surely not wasted. His passion and love for justice was never in vain. His purpose was surely bigger than the comfort of the palace. This caught my attention in my quest to understand my purpose post university education. It made me ask myself questions that I would want to ask you as well:
- What’s your story of purpose? Do you know your purpose?
- Are you in a ‘palace’ season or a ‘desert’ season?
- What are you doing to be on course in your journey through life?
