The “Meaningful” Meaning Of Life

Who asks the question ‘what is the meaning of life?’ Strangely, it’s not us, not in the way a salesperson would before he meets his prospect for the first time. For every response of the client, there is a prepared question. Leading the client to buy his product, the salesperson is in full control of the relationship. This does not work, however, as one of the most fundamental questions makes you skip a heartbeat. We never really intend to ask ourselves that question. In planning our lives, we ask what we want to be. It would seem, then, that life is putting that question to us. Life grabs you by the shoulders and shoves a mirror in front of you. And, what do we see? Someone who isn’t quite sure as to what he really wants out of life; or, someone who isn’t sure anymore if he’s heading in the right direction. It could happen to anyone of us, including the successful and the comfortable ones.

Material needs met, few debts, a sizeable amount of savings, great provider, well educated and admired by society. Yet he is unhappy.

He works from 9 to 5. Has enough money, not affluent but neither is he poor. No heavy debts, although at times he is on the look out for a better paying job. Nonetheless, he is way better off than the average Joe who lives from pay check to paycheck. Yet, he is unhappy.

He has a wonderful wife, and wonderful children who are above average students. Certainly has debts, but he does not worry too much about his situation. Yet, he is unhappy.

A successful business person who is admired by his peers for his skill and knowledge; yet, he feels that something is missing in his life. Life stops them with a question dropped hard on their heads.

What is missing in their lives? What is the cause of their unhappiness? Have they not accomplished enough, if not much, to live comfortably? Or, is it because they didn’t believe in what they were undertaking to get things done? Whatever it is, this existential sense of discomfort is the result of being questioned. We become a Question.

We become a Question because we have come to the painful realization that we will not live as long as we want to; or that, we would knowingly continue living a life with no meaningful meaning. This is the part where we divert our attention away from that rude awakening. We try our best to enjoy as much long as we can in the state of forgetfulness, of amnesia.

To the point: life is experienced as meaningless if we have lived a life centered on satisfying our selves and on the belief that death ‘happens to someone else but not me.’ To state it in another way: life is rendered meaningless if we live only for our egos.

Hence, it is not just believing in what you do and what you live for: life becomes meaningful when you live for the Other, even at the expense of your ego. So, when you live for the Other, you transcend the limited and limiting boundaries of the ego. The meaningful meaning, therefore, lies in living for the Other, unselfishly.