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I’m not a fan of Nietzsche, but I agree with his statement, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Meaning and purpose are tightly bound, and finding soul-tugging purpose may be hard, but it always carries meaning.
Also, you’ve highlighted (without pounding it) the importance of community. Family, friends, faith fellowship, and the wider circles of people around us provide unlimited opportunities to find purpose for our limited time here.
To me, having a purpose in life keeps us moving forward without looking back with regrets, or fear for a better future. Our fallings teaches us to try again by seeking a new path to grow in wisdom. Life is a beautiful journey if we know that the main goal is not survival, but to leave a legacy of faith, integrity, compassion, resilience, and the acceptance that we all have unique strengths and weaknesses, and that therefore, we are all under God’s grace.
I love your writings because invites your readers to accept their humanity. - And that is the wealth that can’t be eaten by moths.
re: "My own search for purpose is ongoing." You've hit upon something dear to my heart. On two levels. We often hear the questions, "What is the meaning of life?" or "What is our purpose?" Part of me recoils at these questions. To me, there is a faint implication of a "creator" who has assigned meaning or purpose. And I don't buy into that. I carry around a pebble in my pocket to remind myself that my meaning and my purpose are no different than that of the pebble's. I just am. The pebble just is. Anything above and beyond that is my ego telling me I'm something special. As the Zen Master Kōdō Sawaki says, "No matter how many years you sit doing zazen, [meditation] you will never become anything special." On the other hand, as you point out, we can give ourselves meaning and purpose. It's not something we inherently have, it's something we adopt. And it evolves. "My own search for purpose is ongoing," embraces that. So thank you for your wisdom.
But moving on to the second (and far more important) level. Often when I call customer service or tech support, the final question from the support person is, "Is there anything else I can help you out with?" I never miss the opportunity to say, "Yes, there is. I've been trying to figure out the meaning of life. What are your thoughts on that?" I do this in the spirit of the chocolate bar. [sorry, inside joke] I figure their job is tough; they have to deal with idiots like myself all day long. If a silly question can bring a smile to their face, then I've done my good deed for the day. I've gotten some great answers. 42, of course. Children. Grandchildren. Living life to the fullest. Doing our best. Being happy. And so on... Maybe one day I'll figure it out.
I increasingly think about the intersection of what moves my heart, how can I use my wisdom and talents, and what will help me grow and learn. That feels like the path to meaning, maybe purpose.
Two thoughts from this rich post:
I’m not a fan of Nietzsche, but I agree with his statement, "He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” Meaning and purpose are tightly bound, and finding soul-tugging purpose may be hard, but it always carries meaning.
Also, you’ve highlighted (without pounding it) the importance of community. Family, friends, faith fellowship, and the wider circles of people around us provide unlimited opportunities to find purpose for our limited time here.
To me, having a purpose in life keeps us moving forward without looking back with regrets, or fear for a better future. Our fallings teaches us to try again by seeking a new path to grow in wisdom. Life is a beautiful journey if we know that the main goal is not survival, but to leave a legacy of faith, integrity, compassion, resilience, and the acceptance that we all have unique strengths and weaknesses, and that therefore, we are all under God’s grace.
I love your writings because invites your readers to accept their humanity. - And that is the wealth that can’t be eaten by moths.
I wholeheartedly agree. You write beautifully. Thank you for sharing your perspective and contributing to the conversation.
re: "My own search for purpose is ongoing." You've hit upon something dear to my heart. On two levels. We often hear the questions, "What is the meaning of life?" or "What is our purpose?" Part of me recoils at these questions. To me, there is a faint implication of a "creator" who has assigned meaning or purpose. And I don't buy into that. I carry around a pebble in my pocket to remind myself that my meaning and my purpose are no different than that of the pebble's. I just am. The pebble just is. Anything above and beyond that is my ego telling me I'm something special. As the Zen Master Kōdō Sawaki says, "No matter how many years you sit doing zazen, [meditation] you will never become anything special." On the other hand, as you point out, we can give ourselves meaning and purpose. It's not something we inherently have, it's something we adopt. And it evolves. "My own search for purpose is ongoing," embraces that. So thank you for your wisdom.
But moving on to the second (and far more important) level. Often when I call customer service or tech support, the final question from the support person is, "Is there anything else I can help you out with?" I never miss the opportunity to say, "Yes, there is. I've been trying to figure out the meaning of life. What are your thoughts on that?" I do this in the spirit of the chocolate bar. [sorry, inside joke] I figure their job is tough; they have to deal with idiots like myself all day long. If a silly question can bring a smile to their face, then I've done my good deed for the day. I've gotten some great answers. 42, of course. Children. Grandchildren. Living life to the fullest. Doing our best. Being happy. And so on... Maybe one day I'll figure it out.
I love the customer service question.
I increasingly think about the intersection of what moves my heart, how can I use my wisdom and talents, and what will help me grow and learn. That feels like the path to meaning, maybe purpose.