August 9--Is Meaning Found or Made?

Life does not have meaning through mere existence or acquisition or fun.  The meaning
of life is inherent in the connections we make to others through honor and obligation.

Laura Schlessinger

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Today's Meditation:

It's tempting to say that we've lost touch with this truth, as our lives more and more keep us isolated from others, in our own homes and cars, making precious few connections with other human beings, forging precious few relationships and taking on fewer and fewer obligations on a personal level.  I believe Laura wrote these words because she has noticed that more and more we try to create meaning through existence, acquisition, and fun as a substitute for that which we know in our hearts is missing--those connections with other human beings.

Is it possible to go through life without finding meaning?  Of course it is.  Is it possible to live a full and satisfying life if we never serve others, if we never feel the need to do things for others and to forge the relationships that will put us in situations that will cause us to serve?  Probably not, but because of our isolation, we don't always learn the gratification inherent in serving others, and the depth of the meaning of lives when we're lightening the burdens of life for others.

Fun and acquisition are important.  But one of the symptoms of deeper problems among people in our societies of today is the feeling of disconnection, the feeling of being lost among the crowds.  This feeling is a natural result of the lack of feeling of meaning, a lack of feeling that we're accomplishing anything significant with our lives.

If we can keep in mind that it's important that we focus on creating meaning instead of simply enjoying ourselves or buying the largest TV we can afford, then we can put our lives on track to create significant meaning in our lives by serving others, by doing what we can to give hope and peace of mind to our fellow spirits who are here on this planet with us, living their lives as well as they can, dealing with the pain and the setbacks as well as they can.

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Questions to consider:

Why do we seek out getting things and having fun rather than trying to create true meaning in our lives?

What are some ways that you might create meaning in your life?

What does the word "meaning" mean to you in relation to your life?

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For further thought:

Each person must look to him- or herself to teach themselves the meaning of life.  It is not something discovered: it is something molded.
Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve