What Is the Meaning of Life?

Have you ever stepped back and wondered, “What IS the meaning of life?”

Maybe something hasn’t been going right, or maybe sometimes it feels like all you do is go to school or work, sleep, and eat, and it puts that thought in your head. What is life all about after all?

I feel like we all think the answer is a secret. That no one really knows… but you see, I don’t think that’s the case.

Now I’m not claiming to be someone who knows the secret of life, because I don’t.

But I do wonder.

I wonder if the answer is simple; I wonder if we don’t all know it.

I wonder if the big ‘secret’ to life isn’t secret at all. I wonder if it’s love.

Now I know that sounds too simple. Love is too easy, everybody knows that, right? But is that really true? Have you ever thought about how tough it is to truly live your life spreading love over all other things?

Choosing not to judge your neighbor because they’re strongly opinionated about a religion you don’t believe, but choosing to love them instead. Not to feel anything other than love toward your neighbor, be he/she gay, bisexual, straight, a different ethnicity, or living in a way that maybe you don’t understand or you don’t live yourself. Not judging someone whose past mistakes differ from your own. Not becoming upset or impatient when someone is slowing you down. To share a smile when you’re having a bad day, not for you, but because you understand that someone else needs it. To put your jealousy in a situation aside in order to be happy for someone. Not to act on sudden anger; not to take that anger out on the people around you. Choosing not to say something negative about someone who has annoyed you or treated you badly. To live honestly and loyally when no one is watching, not because someone might find out, but because it’s the right thing to do. Saying something kind to someone who may honestly not deserve it. Stopping something you like that may be harmful to other people, or hurting other people in some way. Truly putting other people’s feelings first. Not judging someone sitting out on the street for what they did or didn’t do to get there, but helping them instead. Taking the time to try and understand someone’s intentions when maybe something wasn’t handled as well as it could’ve been. Forgiving someone who says they’re sorry even though it still hurts, but even more importantly, loving someone (and yourself) enough to forgive them even when they don’t apologize. Holding back from negative words because they would be hurtful, whether that person can hear you or not. Choosing to love people so much that you don’t have time to be enthralled with negative energy, thoughts, or comments.

It’s not as easy as just saying, “Love everyone.” If we’re being honest, it’s very hard.

But I wonder how beautiful a life one would live if their main focus was to be love, to spread love, to live love.

How wonderful would this world be if love were what people were aiming for?

And whether that’s the secret to life or not…

Let’s try.

 

Written By: Virginia Reavis Thiele