Purpose through community

[shazza72]

Finding Purpose: At Work, In Family, and Through Change

Introduction: The Quiet Question of Purpose

Purpose isn’t always loud. It doesn’t always arrive with fanfare or clarity. Sometimes, it whispers in the quiet moments between meetings, in the car, or while watching your grown children laugh at something you no longer understand. It’s a question that evolves with us, and lately, I’ve been sitting with it more intentionally.

Work: Purpose in Architecture and Leadership

I’ve spent years building systems, guiding teams, and shaping strategy. But purpose at work isn’t just about deliverables it’s about impact. It’s about mentoring someone who finds their voice or seeing a solution ripple across regions. It’s about knowing that what you build helps others build, too.

Purpose here is dynamic. It shifts from technical excellence to human connection. From solving problems to enabling others to solve their own. And that shift is where I’ve found the most meaning.

Family: Purpose in Letting Go

Raising my kids has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. But now, at 14,16 and 19, they’re carving their own paths. They don’t need me in the same way and that’s both beautiful and heartbreaking.

There’s a quiet ache in realizing you’re no longer the center of their universe. But there’s also pride. Watching them grow into thoughtful, capable humans reminds me that purpose in parenting isn’t about control it’s about release. It’s about preparing them to fly, and then stepping back to watch them soar.

This phase, what some call the “empty nester” chapter, isn’t empty at all. It’s full of reflection, renewal, and rediscovery. It’s a chance to ask: Who am I now? What do I want to create, contribute, or explore next?

Community: Purpose Through CMA and Beyond

The CMA program has been a grounding force for me. It’s where I’ve found community, challenge, and a shared commitment to excellence. Whether mentoring new architects or contributing to standards, CMA reminds me that purpose can be collective. It can live in shared values, in legacy, and in the quiet consistency of showing up.

As I look ahead, I see purpose not as a destination, but as a practice. It’s something I choose daily in how I lead, how I love, and how I live.

Purpose Is a Living Thing

Purpose isn’t static. It grows with us. It asks us to listen, to evolve, and to trust that even in transition, there is meaning. Whether it’s in the architecture of systems, the architecture of family, or the architecture of self; purpose is the thread that holds it all together.