The question my daughter has given me to answer this week is, “What do you think is the meaning of life?”  I have searched my entire life wondering what the meaning of my life is.  I have had many influences throughout my learning experience.  One of the first thoughts that came to mind was something I read from Boris Pasternak, “Man is born to live not to prepare to live.”  I had read this in my teens and got it wrong.  I thought it read, “Man was born to live, not to prepare to die.”

Another teen influence was from Literature.  “Carpe Diem.”  I always thought if I got a tattoo (I’m not going to.  I’m too old.) it would be this.  Seize the day.  I believe every day you are given is a gift.  I have tried to live my life to the fullest almost every day of my life.

The Beatles sang a lyric that has been a great influential theme in my life. “And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make.” And no, I didn’t take this in the sexual interpretation.  I have believed in karma for most of my life.  I try never to do harm and I really like to do things for people.  I loved being a mother and wife.  I loved taking care of our home and cooking and baking for those I loved.  I enjoyed my career (well, most of it) as a school secretary and loved doing things for the students and teachers.  Now as a volunteer I enjoy doing things for my friends and family.  And even an occasional stranger.  (Recently, I bought the guy behind me at the grocery his rotisserie chicken.)

I did some research on the internet about quotes from influential folks as to what they thought was the meaning of life.  One of my ultimate favorites was from von Goethe a German writer and stateman.  He said, “The man who is born with a talent, which he is meant to use, finds his greatest happiness in using it.”

The Dalai Lama said, “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others and if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

The Roman philosopher, Seneca, stated, “Begin at once to live, and count each day as a separate life.”

“The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.  Being alive is the meaning.”  This was from Joseph Campbell who is a Professor at Sarah Lawrence College.

And the Buddha said that happiness is achieved through values, strengths and passions.”

After taking all of this in and truly meditating on the question of the week I have come up with this…The meaning of life is to do the best with what you have, and to enjoy each day to its fullest capacity.

Peace be with you.

The above photo is one of my favorite memories with my girls.  We were at the Art Museum in Milwaukee and I had to pose as this statue.  Unfortunately,  I played around with the picture and ruined it by transposing another photo on top of it.  Oh and I almost got us thrown out of the museum by tap dancing on a piece of art that looked like a platform wood floor.