“Purpose Can Have an Expiration Date
Sometimes, purpose isn’t meant to last forever — and that’s not a loss, it’s a completion.
Recently, I flew to Puerto Rico with a clear and heartfelt mission: to care for my sister, Caty, as she recovered from hip replacement surgery. It was my purpose for those weeks — to be there from the moment she entered the operating room until the moment she could walk again on her own. For three weeks, I poured my energy into her healing, balancing life between her home and my responsibilities as a wife, a mother, and a writer still working on my book. It was exhausting and beautiful — a sacred season of love in motion.
When Caty began walking confidently again, I felt both joy and a fulfillment in my heart. My purpose there was complete. It had an expiration date. And that realization led me to a profound truth — not all purposes are eternal. Some arrive in our lives to fulfill a moment, to teach us compassion, patience, or strength, and then gracefully make room for the next one.
There are purposes that last forever — like being a mother, a daughter, or someone who writes, creates, and loves from the soul. Eternal purposes are rooted in love, passion, or a calling that never fades. But there are others — like caring for a loved one through recovery, helping a friend in need, or even guiding your children through specific life stages — that have an end. You nurture, you serve, you give wholeheartedly, and then your role shifts.
When my mother became ill ten years ago, I had to shift my purpose again. For months, my mission was to fly home as often as possible to be by her side, to support my father and sister, knowing that her illness was terminal and that my time with her had an expiration date. Later, when a dear friend of mine, Stefanie, was facing her final chapter, I again felt that sacred pull — to be present, to show up, to love deeply in a moment I knew would not last.
And yet, in all those instances, I discovered that purpose is not diminished by time — it’s defined by presence.
Identifying our purpose, and understanding whether it’s eternal or temporary, gives our lives direction and clarity. It teaches us when to hold on and when to let go. Some purposes are meant to fuel us for a lifetime; others are meant to prepare us for what comes next. Both are equally meaningful.
So, ask yourself: Which of your purposes are timeless, and which are meant for a season?
Parenthood, friendship, love — these may endure, but within them are countless smaller purposes that begin and end. Like chapters in a book, each one serves the story of who we are becoming.
Purpose adapts. It moves with the rhythm of our lives. It doesn’t always need to last forever to be profound — it only needs to be lived with intention, love, and presence. Whether it lasts a lifetime or a few sacred weeks, give it your all. Because every purpose — eternal or fleeting — adds meaning to your story and keeps you from ever dragging through life.
Live every purpose fully, then release it gracefully when its time.
