A Bump in the Road

The first time I saw David, I thought he was a complete tool. He had a
huge ego, was loud, brassy, and much too colorful for my quiet
personality. He intimidated and frightened me, and for some reason, he
pursued me romantically. Everywhere I turned, he was there, ever
pleading for my phone number or even the the chance to take a walk
with me. I would always come up with new excuses to turn him down and
evade him, but he was relentless.

Then one day, I found a lost earring of mine half-buried in the thick
carpet in my office. Congratulating myself on the find, I headed out
to the car. I started my engine and pulled into reverse, and at that
moment, my earring poked through the thin fabric lining my jean pocket
and poked sharply into my skin. Distracted, I shoved my hand into my
jeans to try and disengage the earring from my skin, whilst still in
reverse. There was a dull thud, and to my utter dismay, I had
completely smashed the side of David's car. I pulled back into my
parking space and opened the door, my face flaming with embarassment.
I could feel shame and humiliation coursing through my body as I
stepped up to David's car. He rolled his window down slowly as I
surveyed the damage.

“Oh gosh, I'm so sorry David,” I stuttered. I could feel tears of
frustration pushing through my lashes. I looked up at him and was
stunned to see a cheeky grin on his face. He pulled the key out of the
ignition and shook his head slowly.

“So,” he started, “Can I get that number now?”

Now, I can't imagine life without David. After paying for the damage
done to his car, he took me out on a date to New York City. He took me
under his wing; under his brash exterior was a man who was just as shy
and tender as I was. We weather all storms together; and his constant
joking is a reminder to me to enjoy life as it is, and quit worrying
about the small stuff, like earrings in my back pocket or a damaged
car door.

Pattie Flint, a Seattle native, is currently an editor at a press specializing in hand-bound poetry anthologies. She enjoys swing dancing, running, and Bette Davis movies.

The Drop-out

No mother wants to hear her son has flunked out of college. But that was what I was told. “I’m not going back. I didn’t pass all my courses.”

It was truly a mystery to me. Although he had a few near misses, my son hadn’t failed any courses before in his life. He wasn’t lazy and he certainly wasn’t living a life filled with distractions or partying. Away in another city six hours from home I had to accept his decision. I truly didn’t understand why this had happened. He ended his college career in the summer of 2006.

But sometimes good things rise out of bad. Because he dropped out of college he wasn’t there in the Atrium of Montreal's Dawson College during his lunch hour, sitting and chatting with friends that next September 13^th  when Kimveer Gill took an automatic weapon out of his bag and went on a shooting rampage, leaving one student dead and injuring 19 others. My son didn’t have to run for his life or watch his classmates cry, hide and flee. No, he had dropped out. And I’d never been more pleased in all my life. Whether he knew it or not, he had failed out of college definitely on purpose.

Second Hand Kids

Some people find their life purpose in religion, advocacy, environmental causes or humanitarian efforts--but not me. I found my calling in a dug-up septic system.

As a twenty-six year old elementary school teacher, I often had to take work home with me, but never so much as this particular year…

While supervising students at recess time at the country school where I was working, a young student ran into an-off limits area where work was being completed on a failing septic system. Mounds of dirt made the terrain a virtual obstacle course. The young boy bolted by me and I took chase, yelling after him to stop.

He ignored me. Completely. Despite my best effort at being authoritative and in control he continued on through the maze as if I didn’t exist.

I was mad; livid actually. The bell to end recess rang and I marched into the vice-principal’s office demanding that this student be brought down to the office immediately.

“Calm down,” she soothed.

What kind of administrative support was this? This boy needed to be reprimanded.

“He just came back from court. His parents gave him and his sisters up for adoption today. It’s been tough for him.”

My head swirled and so did my perspective. I didn’t know this boy had sisters or that he was in foster care and certainly didn’t know that these three children were in the market for a new family.

The moment was clear. The direction was certain and the decision was swift.

Six months later that boy was my son and his sisters my daughters.

I am an ordinary person. They are ordinary children. But it is extraordinary love. Second hand mother, second hand children—first hand living.

That was 18 years ago and I can’t imagine my life without them. They are now grown up and I am a grandmother. What if I hadn’t been scheduled to be on yard supervision that day or my son had decided not to run through the forbidden area? Small decisions, big impact. This I know for sure, that day was definitely on purpose.

The birth of a Project

Today is May 7, 2012 and it will go down in my mind as the day The Definitely on Purpose Project was born.

Have you ever experienced a defining moment in your life that was beyond coincidence or happenstance? A moment so serendipidous you just knew it occurred by design not chance; destiny not fluke; intention not accident. 

There are two types of people: those who will tell you they have had numerous divine moments and those who say they have experienced none. The only difference between these two types of individuals is not in the count of these Definitely on Purpose moments they experience, but in the person's ability to acknowledge them.

Take a moment and look at your life. Think of moments where coincidence seemed less likely than leading; where random seemed impossible; and where order outnumbered chaos. This is the site to share and learn about these awakening moments where things happened definitely on purpose.

Do you have a story to share or just want to learn more about this project? Please click pages above to view the various aspects of this project.

Wishing you a life that is definitely on purpose.