02-02-10 I received an e-mail today. It was out-dated, and I actually think I may remember reading about this at an earlier date. It told of how natives of Okinawa and Sardinia often live to reach 100 years of age. The reason? They call it “ikigai.” Ikigai means having a sense of purpose…knowing that your life has meaning.

My part-time job as a customer service rep for an insurance agency doesn’t often lend itself to consequential moments, feeling like I made a significant difference in someone’s life. Today, however, I had an inkling of ikigai in my life.

A friend of mine runs an advocacy agency whose focus is compassionate care toward prisoners. In an e-mail exchange with him about a man who has been released from prison, who is trying to survive “on the outside,” and who is threatened with a very possible return to prison if he does not succeed, I had a few small suggestions. My friend asked me if I would make the contacts. That is what I did this afternoon. Sure, there were other things I had planned to get done, that didn’t happen, but this was more important.

I was able to only find a few leads for this man. I had no offers of employment or housing for him, nothing substantial. Still, the friend of this ex-prisoner wrote back almost immediately, full of gratitude – on behalf of herself and the ex-prisoner.

No, I wasn’t able to find a solution to his problems, but I provided information that might lead to a solution, or at least to other leads. I made the effort to try. I believed in him enough to try to help him find a solution…and it felt very, very good. Yes, this endeavor is what ikigai is all about. Would that my life be full of ikigai! Would that everyone be blessed with a chance to feel a similar sense of purpose.