Is it about the number printed in your bankbook?
Or is it your achievements that is printed in the Sunday Times?
Or is it the legacy you leave behind in the school history textbooks?
Is it about being a good wife or husband and following traditions to have many children or is it about having our own way of life?
Is it about having a whole clan of children who simply refuse to behave or is it about having one super obedient one?
As a student, is life about just doing well in your studies or is having a life outside books important as well?
Is life about contributing lots to society or being a hindrance to others around you?
Is it about being a famous charitable organisation or is it about being a notorious criminal.
Is it about......
Have you ever wondered why we are born? Why we are brought to this place we call Earth? What is our purpose here in this planet? Well, other than me, many people seemed to think this way to. I did my research and found that the meaning of life is a philosophical question concerning the significance of life or existence in general. It can also be expressed in different forms, such as "Why are we here?" ,"What is life all about?" , and "What is the purpose of existence?" It has been the subject of much philosophical, scientific and theological speculation throughout history. There have been a large number of proposed answers to these questions from many different cultural and ideological backgrounds.
The meaning to life is in the philosophical and religious conceptions of existence, social ties, consciousness and happinessand the borders on many other issues, such as symbolic meaning, ontology, value, purpose, ethics, good and evil, free will, the exsitence of one or multiple Gods, conceptions of God, the soul and the afterlife. Read more when you Google "What is the meaning of life". Or just click on the link here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meaning_of_life
But is that all even important when considering these questions? I mean, whatever you have acheives is practically useless if you think about it. At the end of the day, what do we all end up as? That's right, ashes. Nothing but a pile of ashes, So what is the use of working so hard? Let me do some research.
I race and I chase, all so that we can make more money, have more success, be more attractive, and hopefully be happier in some distant future when I've hit some superficial and randomly selected target.
But will that day ever arrive? You and I both know how this game goes: the wanting for more never ends; and happiness will always (unless we intervene) appear to be just a reach away, in “some day” land, when I've finished this project or have reached that goal.
We stride through life as if we will live forever. We treat time as a cheap commodity that we blindly waste. We become consumed by negativity. We hide behind victim stories.
We get stuck in jobs and relationships that we dislike. We distract ourselves with the noise of media and other people’s opinions. We compete over beauty, status and owning stuff. We buy into the empty promises of cosmetics and luxury products—all of which are illusions fabricated by marketers.
Unable to forgive, we hold on to the pain and we blame people, things, and circumstances for our unhappiness. We surround ourselves with anxiety, stress and depression. Failing to recognize that these “dis-eases” and uncomfortable emotions are our soul’s way of saying, “Wake up! It’s time for a change, baby. This isn't working.”
We give up our dreams, our art, our purpose, and trade our lives in exchange for money so that we can make a living. While making money to sustain our needs is inevitable, in the making of a living we sometimes forget our unique gifts, we temporarily lose touch with the enormity of our inner being, and we distance ourselves from the confidence of our unique expressions.
In a race to survive, we become mentally paralyzed—like a dove whose wings have been clipped and soon forgets that she can fly.
It’s all so exhausting.
It’s overwhelming.
There’s no end to the madness of chasing.
So many of us rush though life in this way, oblivious to the preciousness of whom we are and unaware of the beauty, wealth, abundance, love & opportunities that surrounds us.
And before we know it, the sands of our hourglass run out, and we face the end of our brief existence on this planet—unfulfilled and regretful for all that we've missed.
I know this may sound harsh, and it is. Viewing how we live in its blunt, naked candor can feel rough around the edges. Truth stings. At the same time, we can use this emotionally charged observation to our advantage—to inspire us and to move us such that we begin to live differently.
Derek Miller’s last Blog post is a gift for us. He reminds us of the impermanency of our human existence, and the preciousness of the time we have as living, breathing, creative beings.
It’s time to restructure (at least for me and my family) our lives. It’s time to restructure how we live, how we prioritize, how we contribute, and how we can live more fully in the precious moments we are blessed with.
Just now, as I type this, my husband came home after having taken our son to the park so that I could write this post. He opened my office door, and said, “Go see mama.” My son (18 months old) ran into my office with a smile so big that I was instantly love struck. The love my little boy radiated filled up the room.
Little Ryan charged into my arms at full speed. His little legs wrapped around my waist. His little hands draped around my neck. We hugged. I picked him up and said, “Oh, I love you booboo. Thank you for the hug.”
In that moment, I understood…
Perhaps, the only thing that matters is love.
Perhaps, all the chasing we do is just misdirected energy.
Perhaps, all the stress is unnecessary.
Perhaps, we are making life a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
Perhaps, it’s possible (and necessary) to forgive and to let go of our painful past.
Perhaps, all the chasing we do is just misdirected energy.
Perhaps, all the stress is unnecessary.
Perhaps, we are making life a lot more complicated than it needs to be.
Perhaps, it’s possible (and necessary) to forgive and to let go of our painful past.
Perhaps, there’s an easier route to happiness—by focusing on doing good work, contributing value to society, sharing joyful experiences with people we like, and remembering to slow down to savor the moments.
The Meaning of Life
So what is the meaning of life? What is the purpose of life?
I don’t think any single answer can be ubiquitously shared and be applicable for everyone. So I’ll answer for myself, from my current state of understanding.
I think the meaning of life is what ever meaning we give it—and we can literally give it any meaning that “feels right” to us. There’s a blank canvas in front of you. You are the artist of your life, and you are free to paint any picture that pleases you—and change it at any time for that matter.
What “feels right” to you? What do you want your life to mean? What do you want your life to be about?
I think the purpose of life is to discover what makes you happy, and then go do more of it. The most interesting answer I've heard to “What is the purpose of life?” came from my husband. He said:
“The purpose of life is to do what makes you come alive. When you stop, you die.”
For me, the answer is simple: (in addition to my family) learning and sharing about empowering topics—like all the content on his site—is on the top of that list.
So, what makes you come alive?
Parting Words on Life Meaning
I wrote and re-wrote this article over the past 4 weeks–cutting more than half the content down to the essentials. The point of this article can be summarized by the following:
Life is short.
Life is precious.
What are you dreaming about? Go do it. Go make it happen. Go do it despite fear and doubt and the opinions of others. Go do it, because it makes you happy. Go do it, because it makes you come alive.
Who are you holding a grudge against? Decide to forgive them, today, right now. Decide that you will heal, and decide to tell a different story. Give yourself permission to be free, because you are.
Where do you want to visit? Start planning for it, even if you don’t yet have the money. Keep moving in that direction, and I promise you that you will find a way.
Who do you love? When you’re with them, give them your full attention. Create the time and space to connect with them. Put love at the top of your list.
In the end, love is all that matters. Love for ourselves, for other people, for our work, for all the unique experiences of life.
Life is simple, but we insist on making it complicated. Let’s make it simple again, by focusing on what matters. ( From Tina's blog)
Back to today's question: what is the meaning of life? Maybe this story will give you another perspective of it.
Back to today's question: what is the meaning of life? Maybe this story will give you another perspective of it.
This is not my story, I didn’t write this, but I truly enjoyed it, so here goes:
Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker ‘s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ”I know why.”
Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live.
He said, ”People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life — like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?” The Six-year-old continued,
”Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay as long.”
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:
- When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
- Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
- Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
- Take naps.
- Stretch before rising.
- Run, romp, and play daily.
- Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
- Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
- On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
- On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
- When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
- Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
- Be loyal.
- Never pretend to be something you’re not.
- If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
- When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
- ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY! (famous story though author unknown)
Enjoy life while you can,
Peacing out,
~jessykeejiayi><