How focused is your mission..

Introspection is key to growth and finding your way along your path. The other evening I had a conversation with an individual that made me really question my ability to focus on the mission I've always had for my life. My mission has always been to change lives one person at a time. Irony is that its also my current companies mission. The reality of that mission is being a broad focus, lends itself not my inability to say no and focus on one thing. I remember once my mother told me, you can't save them all. You see, when teaching, I wanted to save all those that felt unloved in the juvenile system when I was most certainly in no place to take on the responsibility of being a foster parent to children with significant behavioral issues at that time. The reality of my nature is that I sometimes feel as though I can. I love people. The mean ones, the angry ones, the scary ones.. I love the kind, the religious, the ones that don't believe.. I love the misfits and those that society deems an outcast. I feel great empathy for all people and it tears at the heartstrings of my soul, yet due to this deep abiding love and need to save others, sometimes I lose myself. I lose the ability to think of "my" needs, my hopes, my dreams and my desires for what the end game is on my life. I'm 42 years old, about half way there and I am certain that my impact has been broad but looking at the next 42 years I wonder where it will lead. The desire and need for loving the outcasts and all people stems directly from my faith that GOD loves ALL people. The empathy ties into my past and the struggles I had as a child feeling like I fit in and bullying that tormented me, combined with my mother's unwavering love for all people. This is me, this is where I am and who I am. I don't need to believe the same way you do but ultimately I will love you. I will love you if it destroys me, I will love you when you feel noone does, I will show you in my love, that there is a GOD and that you deserve love. How does one narrow down a mission of changing lives into a specific focus? How does one turn hope,love and joy to one funnel that allows you to have the biggest impact? How does one look at life and drill it down so deeply that all things look at that focus or end goal? Life is changing. I feel it in the depth of my soul. I am changing. I've known that for the past year and sometimes I feel as though my soul is unsettled. Don't misconstrue being unsettled for lack of happiness. Life is a blessing and happiness is choice. I've always chosen happiness. I'm at a pivotal part of my life where I'm to a place that I'm asking myself, what now? Perhaps that's why God continues to put people within my path that force me to look at life in that manner. The person I spoke to asked if I had written my obit and I did in my early 20s but haven't written it since working for Covey. So hear it goes.. On July 1, 2069, Debra Marie Burkhart joined God's choir and is now a Mezzo soprano in God's Choir. She was affirmed that her Opera voice was there and knew God was the answer to finding it. In life, she loved deeply. She was the one that when people felt lost, they came to her to help find their way along his journey, she listened, she consoled and sometimes she gave them a good kick in the butt with a heavy dose of perspective. She was a person that loved a hike in the woods surrounded by his masterpiece, a good book with an intellectual conversation and above all things her family. At 40 she decided she would visit a new place every year and she lived that dream voraciously meeting people all around the world and each time coming back more grateful for the gifts she had been given. In life she was a fearless,driven, hardworking, kind and compassionate person that grew leaders that now manage organizations all over the world. She strived hard to balance courage with consideration although that courageous side sometimes won. She was involved in multiple charitable organizations focusing on children in poverty, domestic violence and went on multiple missions helping others both within and outside our country. (List of groups here) . She spent countless hours in retirement advocating for the rights of neglected children for CASA. Debra grew up on a farm surrounded by her family and in death, this too was the case. For God's biggest blessing in her life was her family and the memories that she had from growing up surrounded by them. She will be listening from above as they share in perfect harmony and sing the family theme song at her funeral of, "She'll be coming around the Mountain." She promised that if they did not, she will haunt them for all eternity. Debra is survived by her Sister Jessica Rich who now will finally stop calling her, "Sis" and stealing her things, her niece Kiki aka Kadence who will inherit her overabundance of fancy bags and shoes and over 200 cousins and their children. She is preceded in death by her soulmate who taught her that it was safe to love unconditionally again and her love would be cherished but also was able to put her in her place when she got to fiesty, her Father Robert who made the worst pancakes but was the best dad, Mother Melody who taught her how to love and be empathic to others and her Grandparents Dorothy and Bill, John & Phyllis ...... At this moment her Grandma is probably serving her a bowl of her potato soup, her Daddy and Grandpa are playing songs on their guitars and her Mom is holding her tightly. Don't despair, life is just the stepping stone for our final destination. Always in life, respond with love, kindness and grace. In leui of flowers, all donations can be donated to...Little Sisters of the Poor of Calcutta, India (or another third world charity supporting women/children or a local charity of your choice supporting children/mother's in need. Well alas here is my start, or my finish as a I see it. Kindness-Humor and light. I pray that when people read my story, they see it with joy, laughter and light and not as another she did this.. she did this.. she did that because in the end, all that matters is love and currently I am a work in process, finding my way.