Have you ever paused to wonder about the meaning of life? Throughout history, every great teacher, thinker, philosopher, theologian, sage, guru, and mystic has asked the question:
What is the meaning of life?
Many people move through life without much thought about the impact they have on the world — whether positive or negative. For them, life is about thriving in every way possible. It’s about winners and losers, and they are determined to win at all costs, regardless of the heartache they cause in their pursuit of superiority. Power and privilege — corrupting by-products of an inflated ego — only fuel their superiority complex. Many of these individuals are narcissists.
Ironically, many of these same people are leaders in their communities, enjoying great wealth and social status.
I had never experienced an existential crisis until recently.
This episode shook me to my core, unsettling nearly every aspect of my life. My mood and spirit were low. I felt anxious and uneasy, going to bed with a sense of impending doom and waking up with the same feeling. Although I struggled to pinpoint the source of these emotions, I took stock of my life. I needed to remind myself how much I have to be grateful for — where I am, what I have, and even what I don’t have. My life is more blessed than I could have ever scripted for myself. Thirty years ago, if I had been the author of my life’s story, I wouldn’t have included the many opportunities I’ve had for character growth and spiritual transformation.
These learning experiences in life — often referred to as plot twists, hurdles, or challenges — are rarely welcomed or planned. Depending on their intensity, they disrupt your current “happy” status quo, and if you’re fortunate, they prompt you to reflect on your life’s trajectory. Your chi will feel off balance for a while. At times, you’ll feel lonely in your struggle, no matter how many people surround you. Often, you’ll need to fall to your knees in prayer, asking for and listening for guidance.
You’ll have to dig deep into your soul, sometimes until it becomes so uncomfortable you want to scream — and then dig even deeper. After days, weeks, or even months of deep contemplation, reflection, prayer, and mindfulness, answers will begin to emerge. Not all at once, as you might hope. And not necessarily in the right order. But they’ll come, bit by bit, from here and there, until the giant puzzle of your life has only a few missing pieces and finally begins to take shape.
It turns out that several chance events and serendipitous encounters have aligned to facilitate my deep dive into the meaning of life. As I’ve suggested, this crisis hasn’t been painless, yet the rewards already exceed anything I could have imagined. These rewards are the fruits of a tree firmly planted and rooted in grace and mercy. Humility and generosity bloom. The branches droop with the weight of love and kindness. Forgiveness and compassion spring forth.
Arrogance and an inflated ego, with their accompanying traits of greed, brashness, selfishness, and a lack of empathy for those suffering, are the poisonous fruits of trees rooted in fear. Fear of losing. Fear of making the wrong choice. Fear of being vulnerable. Fear of a life that counters what society rewards and promotes. Most of all, it’s the fear of confronting the arrogant, greedy, poisonous version of yourself that lies deep within your soul.
The “triggers” and series of events that caused this overdue search for the meaning of life are as numerous as they are varied. You could argue my lived life until now is what has determined the outcome so far, but I am suggesting a plot twist from the anticipated trajectory.
Next week we explore the causes and initial outcomes of this spiritual deep dive into the meaning of life in Part 2.
Happy Women’s Day to every girl-child, girl, lady, woman, mother, daughter, aunt and grandmother!
Have a great weekend and please remember to be generous! 😄
As always, thanks for reading. 🙏
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