It's become almost a cliche to ridicule the question. How can we know why we're here if we're not given any reason, purpose or meaning whatsoever? The only guides that claim to be a book of instructions for living are the self-titled "Holy" Scriptures that are loaded with contradictions and falsehoods, and interspersed with occasional bits of wisdom or evil. What can we make of the apparent fact that the only Word of God is the ever present natural law staring us in the face, insisting that we take it from there. It finally becomes obvious that determining the meaning, if there is to be any, is up to us, which is both exhilarating and terrifying.
Insight often comes from insignificant and unexpected places. In a current movie preview, a character asks a question that is so above the rest of the subject matter it almost jumps off the screen, "What are you gonna do with this one and only life you've got?" Profundity in a nutshell. Since we have free will, therefore we're not going to be told what to do, it's up to us to decide, and it looks like we have three general choices.
The first answer, and probably the most common, is Nothing. But is it really nothing. In the old movie, The Magnificent Seven, Charles Bronson's character scolds a child for idolizing him as a hero because he's a gunfighter. He tells the child that his parents are more courageous than he is because they assume the weight of the responsibility for their family; something he doesn't have the will to do. Courage comes a lot easier if we don't care. The only way to truly do nothing is to hide you light under a bushel chasing trivialities. The true do-nothings refuse to pull their own weight, which often becomes considerable, sitting in front of the boob tube watching programs that offer no substance or challenge, simply making them comfortably numb. These types may be less plentiful than we tend to think. We can only hope.
The other two choices are polar opposites, doing good or evil; pursuing the Truth via knowledge, justice, love and beauty, or violating the rights of others for your own advancement, or worse, just because it feels good. At first blush it appears simple, but we tend to oversimplify good and evil by making them a function of love and nothing else. Is that correct? Isn't it prejudicial to assume that we all have the same capacity for love, and if we don't, that those who have a low capacity are doomed? But meaning, the pursuit of Truth, is up to the individual to determine according to one's abilities, drives and desires. Charles Bronson in the example above, did well to point out the moral and virtuous behavior of the child's responsible parents, but he is contributing as well, doing what he is good at in the pursuit of Truth via justice. No one can do it all, and we shouldn't beat ourselves up for it when we can't. Our job, what gives us meaning, is to find what we can do, and then do it.
Value yourself and do what your good at while honoring the rights of others and their righteousness in doing the same. Look forward to each day ahead, knowing you are worthy, you can contribute and you can enjoy yourself doing it. You can be no more generous to others than you are generous to yourself.
No comments:
Post a Comment