Purpose of Life

What’s the meaning of life? One of my good friends put this question on Facebook. Though I tried to answer it, by what came to my mind at that time, I still could not convince myself to my own answer. I essentially wrote that individually our life does not have any meaning, however people who we love, or who loves us, gives the meaning to our lives and vice-versa. We could see how our parents work to the limits just to make our life better. How we take up anything just to help our loved ones. Individual happiness comes from the ability to be loved or giving love. For some the sphere of loved ones is their close family and friends and their pets. This is their lives; these are the ones who give meaning to their lives. However for some, there is a wider sphere, those who are highly involved in social work and are genuinely devoted to it. They are great people and their lives give meaning to so many others. However what I was trying to understand is where we stand as individuals. Individually, how can i define or give meaning to my life.

 I have already spent half of my life just getting myself equipped to lead the other half. Is it worth the effort? But what else is the option anyways. Some say that putting your foot prints in history is one way of doing that. Some talk about the creation, invention, discovery .For some just an idea defines their lives. Scientists could spend their whole lives in laboratories, passionately working for something new and novel. Sometimes they could spend half their lives, finding solutions to complex mathematical riddles, and rest of their lives defending their solutions to the world. So a mathematical equation can give meaning to the life of some. For environmentalists, the effort in saving one species from extinction is worth giving the life for. I could not believe that money can give meaning to anyone's life. But power can, and most of the times money can buy power. For big industrialists, it’s their passion to keep themselves on top of the league, and not the money that gives the meaning to their lives. However not everyone can find such meanings to their lives. They are privileged lot. Most of all and sundry, the family and loved ones definition is the one that fits well. Religion talks about Moksha or the ultimate unification with god as the life's ultimate aim. So as I have spent half my life getting equipped for the other half, they spend whole their lives getting equipped for the next life , or the fate after death in which they believe in.

So where that brings us. I guess it means that every individual has to get or rather search for his or her won meaning of life. Love and well being of friends and family apart, it's something more, that should define your life. Mostly it's something that you love, or are passionate about. It can be devotion to religion, or passion for sports. Most of us are not lucky enough to get a job that could forward our passion. Making a living is as important .However there is nothing better than doing what you like to do.

I am jealous of those scientists or someone like archaeologists who are so passionately always working to find something elusive and unknown. I am jealous of those musicians or artists who are always looking for creating something new and novel. I wish I had the talents of those. We all are born with distinct and unique talents. However it's upon us to find that and bring it out, lest we live our lives without the knowledge of even having them. It's not for the world. We don't have to prove anything to anyone. It's for us only. We all should find our calling in life. That is something which gives us the ultimate happiness. I have made my efforts to bring some meaning to my life. However sometimes i feel that I wasted a little too much time already. Anyhow I am not giving up. I will find this meaning however elusive it would be. Because without it my life will always be hollow and incomplete.