Explore purpose

Invite the participants to use their journal again, asking: “Where do you find meaning and purpose in life?” A clarifying questions helps: “What is most important to you?” Use the pattern of journaling followed by dialogue as with the previous question. Answers to these questions come in two categories, connections and accomplishments. The connections refer to things like family, friends, social and political groups. The accomplishments are described differently but are examples of money, power, or prestige. Some participants will answer that faith or God is important and gives meaning to their lives. For some the faith response is about the social connections of their faith community. For others it is about personal faith practices and how they feel about the way that their faith accomplishments measure up. Most people answer this question based on their idea of what should be important in life.