Bhagawan Ramana says,
"Know the real self, and then the truth will shine forth within your heart like sunshine. The mind will become untroubled, and real happiness will flood it, for happiness and the true self are identical. You will have no more doubts once you attain this self-awareness."
(Source: Self Realization: The Life and Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi by B. V. Narasimha Swami, Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai, 1985)
This is what we are here for. This is our true and inner purpose. Everything else is an extension of this. All else serves only to aid us in eventually going within, provided we do not fall for the lure and hold on forever to all that is external and expendable.
To get there, we have to begin the journey by marching on the path initially imposed on us. Later, with liberty and freedom made available, we skip along in joy. Having fallen and hurt ourselves, we then turn to know the reasons for making that decision or turn. Walking with the guru, we are shown our outer purpose and directed to our inner purpose. Finally settling within, the soul in us comes as the guru and walks in us, revealing it all, pulling the veil and curtain aside, and having us see and recognise the path that we once had traveled in the way past, and the Kingdom that was once home to us.
Briefly said, this is life's journey. The time taken to return home and arrive there, though, is dependent on the time we spend staying attached and rooted to the lures of the world. Then, when the search is triggered and it begins, the wandering starts. After losing one's way, or having to go in circles, or stalling momentarily to attend to other needs and responsibilities, then it is a mad rush to catch up on lost time. We often do not make it in time to board the train to realizing the Self. One then comes back to start the cycle. The soul that made the decision to make this journey, packing up its bag with all the past baggage and tools required, after living life as desired and gathering lessons from the experiences, eventually makes an attempt to board the train back home. Making numerous attempts to get back on board and failing, it eventually seeks the grace of the divine to lift it up, acknowledging that it is never possible through its own effort and willpower. This cry for mercy brings the door to God's kingdom to open wide. It is granted access back to God's kingdom. The pure soul returns home.