The point of life
- Thread starter Kmal
- Start date
I have recently been pondering the point of life a lot. I have been impelled to look at, rather, quality of life. I will not offer my version of the point of life right now.
I view the quality of life as being up to the individual to decide for himself/herself. If said individual becomes so ill they cannot choose for themself, then who is to choose for them? I think of living wills, advanced directives, health power of attorney, DNRs, and all the other legal issues in place for those in such a situation. I see it possible to end a life too early by misunderstanding a specific situation from reading a document and thus passing judgment.
Someone very dear to me has been told they might should call Hospice twice in the last two months, yet the person decided to keep fighting both times. Today my wife and I took them a fried fish, one of their favorites, and fed it to them along with another small piece of another fish. Our visit's discussion was on my wife's cooking he has enjoyed so many times over the years, all the fishing trips the two of us have shared over the years, and the love we all have for each other. It was a pleasant and memorable occasion for us all. The smiles on his face and words from his mind showed me a quality of life that inspired my very own life. The feelings I received were similar to those he received. I was glad he chose to try again last Monday, as he is now much better.
So, what is quality of life? I have come to an understanding of it I may not can place in words. A piece of paper may not be able to explain my thoughts and feelings regarding it. Maybe I should go back and look at the point of life.
Ecclesiastes sounded so negative to me as a child. Yet, the words near the end stated to eat, drink, and be merry; to enjoy from the labor of one's hands; that was the portion for a man in this world. Life experiences are different for most all of us. I therefore feel the point of life to be possibly different for each of us. I have learned our time here is short. I do feel we should cherish the life we have, for life is like unto a special gift we are given to enjoy our own way. We can turn our nose up at it, turn our back on it, look the other way from it, sleep the days and nights away, and still not get it. We can do what we can to help others along the way, or we can take what we can from others.
Life is a good opportunity to see exactly what you are made out of. We can change as we see fit, or we can live a routine. Life is most often what we make of it. There are those less fortunate out there incapable of changing a lot in their life. They must learn to make the best out of what they can. Some of us are so lucky and blessed we do not have a clue what others have to live like. I have probably said a lot of nothing to some out there; for that, I apologize. I feel sure I missed my mark or target, but at least was able to share some of my present thoughts with others.
I view the quality of life as being up to the individual to decide for himself/herself. If said individual becomes so ill they cannot choose for themself, then who is to choose for them? I think of living wills, advanced directives, health power of attorney, DNRs, and all the other legal issues in place for those in such a situation. I see it possible to end a life too early by misunderstanding a specific situation from reading a document and thus passing judgment.
Someone very dear to me has been told they might should call Hospice twice in the last two months, yet the person decided to keep fighting both times. Today my wife and I took them a fried fish, one of their favorites, and fed it to them along with another small piece of another fish. Our visit's discussion was on my wife's cooking he has enjoyed so many times over the years, all the fishing trips the two of us have shared over the years, and the love we all have for each other. It was a pleasant and memorable occasion for us all. The smiles on his face and words from his mind showed me a quality of life that inspired my very own life. The feelings I received were similar to those he received. I was glad he chose to try again last Monday, as he is now much better.
So, what is quality of life? I have come to an understanding of it I may not can place in words. A piece of paper may not be able to explain my thoughts and feelings regarding it. Maybe I should go back and look at the point of life.
Ecclesiastes sounded so negative to me as a child. Yet, the words near the end stated to eat, drink, and be merry; to enjoy from the labor of one's hands; that was the portion for a man in this world. Life experiences are different for most all of us. I therefore feel the point of life to be possibly different for each of us. I have learned our time here is short. I do feel we should cherish the life we have, for life is like unto a special gift we are given to enjoy our own way. We can turn our nose up at it, turn our back on it, look the other way from it, sleep the days and nights away, and still not get it. We can do what we can to help others along the way, or we can take what we can from others.
Life is a good opportunity to see exactly what you are made out of. We can change as we see fit, or we can live a routine. Life is most often what we make of it. There are those less fortunate out there incapable of changing a lot in their life. They must learn to make the best out of what they can. Some of us are so lucky and blessed we do not have a clue what others have to live like. I have probably said a lot of nothing to some out there; for that, I apologize. I feel sure I missed my mark or target, but at least was able to share some of my present thoughts with others.
I'm inclined to think that there may not be a point at all. Life is what we make it. I'm coming to believe that perhaps we need to stop trying to make life into something that it isn't. We cannot force it to be good all the time, it just doesn't work. There always has to be a balance and that's how it is.
I'm starting to wonder whether I'd be much more content if I stopped trying altogether.
I'm starting to wonder whether I'd be much more content if I stopped trying altogether.
Let's say the WORLD ENDS tomorrow and we all die.
Then if you were asked by higher beings: "What did you learn from your time on earth"? ....... What would your response be?
That response is the point of your life.
I think the very fact that we have experienced pain and negativity is something that we can always remember and use long after we are dead.
Then if you were asked by higher beings: "What did you learn from your time on earth"? ....... What would your response be?
That response is the point of your life.
I think the very fact that we have experienced pain and negativity is something that we can always remember and use long after we are dead.
Essentially there is no ultimate meaning or point that applies to every human.
It's different for everyone. I think you create your own.
I guess I'm still searching for mine.
It's different for everyone. I think you create your own.
I guess I'm still searching for mine.
Last edited:
To do more good things than bad things. To contribute for your children and the next generation. To live your life in such a way that you won't regret it in old age.
And then your children will do the same to their children, and their children will do the same to their children, and so on, and so on, and so on, but for what? You're essentially saying that our only purpose is to procreate. Procreation just for the sake of keeping humanity alive for a couple of centuries can hardly be called a purpose, if at all. And to live without regretting ones past would be the same as either never failing (which is impossible) or ignoring ones failures by limiting ones perspective or pretending to never have failed.
Last edited:
- Jun 11, 2011
- 49
- 4
- 0
- MBTI
- INFJ(KTS-II)
- Enneagram
- irrelevant
digression:
short extract from an interview with Dr. Raymond Moody,
(http://www.som.org/3library/interviews/moody.html):
"Thresholds: As far as yourself, what is it that gives you meaning to your life?
Moody: My children, and my wife, and I also love thinking and working and learning things, and I like to exercise, I love the news, and I like to eat. And that's pretty close to it."
short extract from an interview with Dr. Raymond Moody,
(http://www.som.org/3library/interviews/moody.html):
"Thresholds: As far as yourself, what is it that gives you meaning to your life?
Moody: My children, and my wife, and I also love thinking and working and learning things, and I like to exercise, I love the news, and I like to eat. And that's pretty close to it."
That your purpose in life is to be a servant to your children?
Then without children you have no purpose, which leads us back to procreation.
I suggest the point was to contribute, to use one's life as a means for creating a better, more human for future generations. There is perhaps an opposite side to contributing...injuring, sapping energy from others, dragging people down, taking selfishly. Contributing may be in some way equated with loving, and love is a very potent force for ourselves and others.
Improving it for everyone; not just them. Aside from that, improving the human races existence on earth for you generally means it will improve the next generation as well-- if you'd like to look at it selfishly, the improvement of their lives is just a byproduct of improving yours.