Argue with strangers on the internet.
Every now and again, it’s only human to pause and wonder why we’re here.
We think there must be a purpose; there has to be a meaning. After all, that’s what we’ve been told; It’s what we’re led to believe.
So we sit around and ask the who’s, the how’s, the why’s, and the what’s.
Who am I?
How was everything created?
Why am I here?
And the mother of them all…
What’s the meaning of life?
It’s one of those questions that’s so big that it makes you feel smaller than a shell in the sea or a star in the sky.
And that’s exactly the question I was thinking about when I had a rare moment of clarity. One those fleeting moments where you can ask your subconscious anything and get an answer.
So I did…
I asked myself the question, and here’s what I found.
I think the meaning of life is to love.
It makes no sense, but it rings true.
And perhaps I’ll try to convince myself why.
The obvious is overlooked
Besides having ten digits, warm blood, and complaining about traffic while contributing to traffic, one quality that makes a human, human is overlooking the obvious.
So let’s start with the obvious. Many of us think that the meaning of life has to be something big.
Something huge. Something’s that’s hidden and waiting to be found like a treasure in an Indiana Jones movie.
But like I said, what makes a human a human IS overlooking the obvious, and you know what we’re overlooking?
The tendency for people to over-romanticize everything.
In other words, the tendency to make simple solutions complicated.
After all, most things in life are inherently simple; people just have an oh-so-frustrating way of making things complicated.
(Hey, overthinking)
For example:
Do you want to live a healthier lifestyle?
Well, you could spend thousands on supplements, gym memberships, and the latest fad that promises quicker results in less time, or you could just eat healthy food, drink water, sleep and get exercise.
Simple.
Want a better relationship with anyone?
Instead of buying their affection with vacations, you could simply communicate more.
Simple.
Want to feel more in touch with God?
Pray.
Simple.
Want to feel happier?
Remember to be happy.
Simple.
Want to get more respect?
Give more respect.
Simple.
You get it…
At its core, most questions in life have simple solutions. So why would the meaning of life be any different?
I tend to think it wouldn’t.
Finding Meaning
So let’s get to the root of meaning.
What the hell is meaning anyways?
It’s a sense of significance…
A sense that an activity you’ve done has impacted your life.
And purely looking at what’s significant is frustrating because what’s significant to me isn’t necessarily significant to you.
For example, I might find it significant to eat an 8lb gyro so I can win a free t-shirt I’ll never wear.
You, however, might find me and anyone who does that to be a total ass face with a plunger for a nose and toilet paper for hair.
In either case, both of us are subjectively right.
And that’s the burden of subjectivity. What looks significant to you doesn’t necessarily look significant to me.
So to truly understand what’s significant, you have to do more than look. You have to feel.
We can’t see the significance, but we can feel the significance.
We can’t see meaning, but we can feel meaning.
This goes to show it’s not the activities we do that are significant; it’s the feelings they give us that are.
And the common thread that intertwines all meaningful moments is one emotion: Love.
When you feel like something is meaningful, you feel an emotional high. You felt in the moment. You felt like you were your highest self. You felt love.
If all the meaningful moments felt like love, then that can only mean one thing: life’s meaning is to love.
The beginning is the End
Perhaps Charles Bukowski said it best.
“We’re all going to die, all of us; what a circus! That alone should make us love each other, but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities. We are eaten up by nothing.“
And knowing that the clock is ticking should cause us to change our tune because, shit, the song will eventually be over; the record player will be unplugged.
And that’s why I think the purpose of life is to love your life. It’s going to end, and loving your life makes your time here the most rewarding.
It’s always fulfilling when you:
Choose love when it’s easier to hate.
Be open when it’s easier to be closed.
Forgive when it’s hard to forget.
Because these choices are empowering and add depth to your life that’s impossible to reach otherwise.
In other words, they add meaning.
Whether you believe in a higher power or believe the person writing this article is an idiot, that’s your call, but I think there’s no coincidence that love is written about at length in every major religion.
Perhaps because it’s the meaning of life.
So whether cutting the grass makes you feel a sense of significance.
Listening to music takes you away.
Organizing the cupboard really knocks your socks off.
Or eating an 8lb Gyro to win a $20 T-shirt makes you feel alive.
As long as you’re feeling love, your life is meaningful.
And that’s a cool thing.
Please like, share, comment, and tell me what you think. What do you think the meaning of life is?
I adore the conclusion, that we are here to love. There are many tangents we can travel with that, but the simplicity of it is profound.
Begin every action and reaction with love. That’s it.
I almost ended that with ‘that’s the tweet’ but I decided against it 😜 Nice post
So happy you enjoyed! And I love that – begin and end every and action with love.
If I ever make this article A tweet, that I’m going to end it with, that’s the tweet, that’s funny
This is beautiful! And I agree with you
Thank you! Blessings and full joy as you journey.
I love this, and I love you, even if you are an idiot! You know what? You are absolutely right!
LOL I read this comment at the grocery store and laughed out loud. Love you too
🤣😂👍
Having just arisen from a nap, and still being muddle-headed, I’ll defer theorizing the meaning of life. Being a classic over-thinker, I’m sure I’ll run it around the hamster wheel a few hundred, or thousand, times. And then, regret being a chicken butt for not diving in with abandon. Wheeeeee! Oh! The whole making things so much more complicated than they need to be, is a special area of expertise of mine.
P.S. – I enjoyed your blog. I like the way you write, curiously asking questions……so we can ask ourselves. Sometimes, some of us need permission to just be who we are, and be OK with it.
And that’s the hardest part learning to be cool with who we are – something I struggle with too from time to time – so happy you enjoyed the blog!
Hey, this is so good! Tbh, I’m a person who loves to find meaning in life and you just did a good job by sharing this topic with an excellent conclusion. We are here to love cause we were made by Love❤
We are all humans on the same planet, at the same time, experiencing the same thing (more or less). I have my thing. You have your thing. Everyone else has their thing. Understanding ourselves and understanding each other is probably 90% of what we need to do while we exist.
i think the meaning of life is surviving long enough to have an offspring. It’s what evolution dictates.
There’s a species of moths or butterflies that die after leaving their cocoon and spawning kids. I like to believe that we are more than that. Most people wouldn’t deserve to live past their 20s or even younger.
Is there more than being a parent or is that all you want to do?
I want to be a poet or a dj. I have dreams. I myself chose not to have children.It’s a big responsability. What I meant to say if were evolution is concerned it only matters that we have lots of offspring. Ofcourse we aren´t bound to evolution like animals or plants.
Ahhh, I see. You have cool goals. But, I gotcha.
Yeah, you have to aim high in life 🙂
To BE. 🥰 and to receive the love that is already in and around us.
Love it
I greatly enjoyed reading this and it was funny too, which made me feel good. Thank you. 😀
I’m so happy you enjoyed! And glad you thought it was funny
I’ve often thought that life doesn’t have to have meaning. I think you just have to be there. But I do like the idea that the reason for life is to love. Really enjoyed your article.
Love this
God is love and the greatest law in the universe is the law of love.
“Teacher, which command in the law is the greatest?” This is the greatest and most important command. He said to him, The second is like it: All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.”
(Matthew 22:36-40, CSB)
Love it!! I’m a new one to start my blog! Hope you follow me back to see my blog about travelling here in the Philippines. Thank you! 😊❤️
Thank you, I will
“Besides having ten digits, warm blood, and complaining about traffic while contributing to traffic, one quality that makes a human, human is overlooking the obvious.” I love that.
Hahah so glad you do
Nice
I get it, but I just think overall there’s no meaning or one way to be a human. Yours is sweet and I agree with the simplicity…but if the world was easy—or let’s put it this way, if a video game was easy and you could easily get to the finish line and everyone did as you said, would that game be fun? Do you live to see the different types of things that species on this rock can do and the goods and evils?
I mean, I love easy routes, but I expect something after. Something interesting (I’m speaking for myself) but just being happy and getting things does seem great, but what are you doing to do with all that?
I agree I think there isn’t anyone to be human. For me, I like to take on new challenges but that’s just me. I don’t think it’s right for everyone
I get you. I like taking challenges too. Especially in my thoughts, but yeah, I get your sentiment.
Great article about one of the biggest questions in life.
Thank you so much!
Loved your approach – simplifying these big questions that can tie us in knots trying to answer them. I also loved your comment about overthinking – you’re right, we all do this instead of looking for the simple answers
Yeah it’s so easy to make something simple hard. I try to always get to the simple truth
I think you got it right, right from the beginning. It’s love. Simple.
Amazing blog Anthony. For me, the meaning of life it is to first love yourself, your body and the family you grew up with, to be more grateful to God for being here on earth, to yes like you said, wonder and ask yourself why you are here. Also, love and forgiveness is key as well as respect other people in this life!🙏🙏
Thank you for this grounding reminder. It’s always helpful to receive the words we know from someone else.🙂
I think it makes total sense. Thanks for spreading the message!
love this Anthony
Lovely 😊
I like your conclusions. For me, I will now say, “The meaning of life is anything that adds meaning to your life.” Thanks for the post.
This is such a great post. I always ponder the question of “why am I here?” I can definitely agree with you. I think that we were meant to be here to love not only each other, but life itself whether it be my horses and other animals or the tree that I like to sit under to write. Life is there to be appreciated and loved. It’s sad that we see so much hatred and war. Thank you so much for sharing this insightful post with us 😎
I like things that I can feel. I felt this. And because I felt it, I love it.
Love! The sweetest word . The spirit that keeps the world going on. We are still here as we have it in our nature. But at the same time its oppose force also clings somewhere in our dark corners of our conscience and subconscious, that is ready enough to spurt out to grab this sweet and beloved feeling. And the rampage of that by the hands of hatred we have seen in wars and still some agents of this dark ghost are killing our brothers and sisters on the names of illusion .
Let’s all spread abundance in the way you have today. The abundance of simplicity. Well done
So true.
I agree with your take on being simple. Most of the time we complicate things.
I think we put meaning into life. We make that for ourselves. No one else could tell us that.
And by the book Flow, we could all start with the things we enjoy doing, the things we get lost in time.
Thankyou for your words I appreciate what you have to say. I agree that love is the answer.
I think the meaning of life is to argue with strangers on the internet. Tehe!
I’m just joshing ya. Just mashin’ yer tatters.
Anyway, thanks for checking out my blog.
Hahah mashing yer tatters
IKIGAI is a Japanese concept that means, “the purpose of being”. Life in itself without purpose is meaningless. “Thus in my opinion life is purposeful being”
I find the meaning of life in this beautiful Emily Dickinson quote “Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door…”
I really like that! Thanks for sharing
Great question simplified with few more great question. Nice blog. Loved the way you cracked the biggest question in smaller one like a math problem. I think it’s ok if we don’t know all the answers and just live and be happy.
Thanks! and I agree – just live, love and be happy