“All this while what am I chasing for?” I asked myself.
I race and I chase, all so that I can make more money, have more success, 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 we’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 status and owning stuff. We buy into the empty promises of 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. This isn’t working.” We give up on 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 candour can feel rough around the edges.
It’s time to restructure 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. 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, 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 somebody. She said: “The purpose of life is to do what makes you come a live. When you stop, you die.”
For me, the definition of real success in life is not determined by the education obtained, institutions attended, career accomplishments, awards won, or the wealth I’ve acquired. Real success in life is solely determined on who you become, the character and attributes you develop, the people you help, and whether or not at the end of the day you were true to the most important priorities in life – namely the God & Family.
So, what makes me to come alive?
Parting Words on Life Meaning
The pointers it can be summarized by the following:
Life is pretty short.
Life is precious.
Life keeps no one waiting.
Life is always full of ups and times.
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 our selves, 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.