What’s the meaning of life? Oh, how I love this question. It has driven me mad for decades.
At some point, everyone asks the question: What is the meaning of my existence? And whoever you ask this question, you either get a different answer every time, or they shrug.
Alarm bells should ring. If, after thousands and thousands of years, no man (not even a woman) could give a clear answer, could there be something fishy about the question?
We are all born and thrown into this world, whether we want to be or not. Regardless of where we live or what we learn, whether in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, or America. Let’s set aside, for a moment, money, borders, gender, and status. Let’s also consider that the gods, their names, and the possibility of an afterlife or eternity may not be as important as we wish they are. What, then, is left?
Being!
So, for the sake of simplicity, let’s assume that the existence of an individual in this world is just a matter of chance. We were lucky (or unlucky) to be born.
What is a meaningful life? What should I do, how should I behave to make my life meaningful?
For an answer, we would first have to ask ourselves whether life necessarily has to have a meaning. Spontaneously, one would probably say, yes! But why? Can’t all life just exist, without reason and without a goal? Probably not, because we don’t like this idea.
Is that reason enough to claim that there must be a meaning? Does there have to be eternal life in the form of a soul just because I can’t imagine my death (or I don’t want to imagine it)? What if my mother hadn’t married my father, but her childhood friend? Then I wouldn’t exist at all, and perhaps I wouldn’t have this inner urge to make sense of my existence.
What’s the meaning of life? Religions, philosophy, and political ideologies have all been trying to answer this question for centuries.
Is it love, fame, family, wealth, legacy, happiness? I think it’s none of that.
I believe the meaning of life is to give your life meaning.
I truly believe that’s all that’s to it.
Am laughing! Have been so busy ‘living’ my days and nights . . . I must be a very shallow person, but have never taken a moment to think of this . . . I just adore being alive 🙂 !
That’s simply wonderful. You are such a role model for all of us.
I don’t like the question at all! 🙂
That’s ok 🙂
I love this musing and your conclusion. I just commented on another post, “The really great thing about getting older is that all the nonsense of the past (and the present) really doesn’t matter!” Perhaps I was wrong, and all the nonsense of life is the true meaning of life?
When we are stripped down to just ‘us’ then something should be left. 🙂 Yes, I agree, perhaps some of the ‘nonsense’ does matter.
Just as only we can make our own happiness, only we can create our own meaning. I love that idea.
Thank you, Darlene. I am so glad you liked my answer. Happy Memorial Day.
The universe / universes have turned out to be vaster than we imagined or could ever imagine and far far older, as far as we know. Is it all a glorious coincidence that our little plant evolved such a variety of life and more than once? Perhaps a fantastic experiment by an omnipotent creator? Either way it’s likely it is only us who attach importance to individuals, we are all easily replaceable.
Very good question. Looking at the size of the universe, one has to wonder why all this ‘space’ would be wasted if it’s only us. If we were an experiment, that would explain all the empty space. We most definitely have failed.
Love this post. I’m sure you’re right. Give it meaning—that’s the meaning!! Wonderful conclusion.
Thank you, Selma. It’s the only answer that makes sense to me. I am pleased you like it.