“What is the meaning of life?” A deep and thought-provoking question that many of us struggle with answering. This question was posed to young men studying Level One English as part of the emphasis on Character Education. While young men studying at that level will not have a complete answer, the intent of the activity is to encourage them to think critically and to begin to develop an answer – one that will no doubt be modified and developed as they do. Thanks to the young men who had the courage to share parts of their answers – hopefully their work will help to spark some dinner table conversations in our school community.
“Lastly, being around and there for people you care about and love makes life worth living. Doing something with or for someone brings you closer with them. Whether its family, friends or even a stranger, if you genuinely care about them, that in itself makes life worth living. For example, you may see a homeless man on the street and give him something. The joy you bring to yourself and most importantly to him, is worth living for. The famous writer Mark Twain, once said, “The best way to cheer yourself is to try cheer someone else up.” You have someone to look out for, to care for, to worry for. And being there for them makes life meaningful.”
“The question “what is the meaning of life?” has existed for as long as humanity has; the desire to explain why we are here in this god-forsaken, hostile environment, what we are meant to accomplish. This is a question asked by everyone, from brilliant esteemed scientists and philosophers of old, to children having existential crises in their mother’s bedroom. Yet, for the countless millennia people have pondered this question, no one has been able to come up with a definitive answer, and for all we know, there may never be one. Therefore, I believe “what is the meaning of life?” to be an impossible question, but that doesn’t mean there is not anything that makes life worth living, giving it some semblance of meaning. The trouble with this, however, is that it varies from person to person, as everyone tackles the challenge of life in different ways, causing them to have vastly different experiences. However, if someone has found hobbies, formed strong bonds and relations, and established what they want to get out of their limited time here on earth, their goals, then they might be on the track to living a fulfilling and successful life, one that they have found has meaning and is, therefore, worth living.”
“At an early age, we might already know what gives our lives meaning. However, we may need to gain experience and wisdom to know your true purpose on this planet. We began questioning our lives because of our awareness of the world around us and since the Enlightenment, our understanding of each of our lives has changed. But what we do not know is how we will view our lives in the future. Everyone on this planet has a different life with a different story. For many, an important aspect of life could be friends, family or something as straightforward as sitting down to your favourite dinner. Sometimes, it is the simple things in life that make it special. As Joseph Campbell, an American professor of literature once said, “Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.”
