Charlie Scaturro explains why he thinks the meaning of life is ever-present
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Throughout the course of human history, scholars have spent countless hours trying to examine the meaning of life.
But considering that we’ve been seeking the meaning of life since we’ve been able to think and we’re still searching, it would seem that discovering our purpose is an enigma only uncovered by a select few after being struck by an otherworldly epiphany. How else can we reconcile the fact that so many of us are still searching for meaning in our lives?
Having something so crucial to our existence be so difficult for us to realize would be an awfully cruel joke to play on humanity.
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Perhaps the meaning of life isn’t a needle in the vast haystack of humanity that we might seek for thousands of years to no avail. Perhaps it’s something so ubiquitous that we can reach out and touch it every second of every day. This idea might seem a bit optimistic, but the meaning of life must be accessible to everyone. Having something so crucial to our existence be so difficult for us to realize would be an awfully cruel joke to play on humanity.
Indeed, we brush shoulders with the meaning of life everyday. We just might not realize it.
- On our commute to work.
- At McDonald’s.
- At the gym.
- At a friend’s birthday party.
- Waiting in line at the movies.
It’s right in front of us all the time in the form of seemingly mundane occurrences.
The meaning of life is people.
- People you know.
- People you haven’t met half way around the world.
- People you love.
- People you interact with.
- People you open up to.
- People you confide in.
- People you reveal your vulnerabilities to.
- People you learn from.
- People you teach.
- People you help.
- People you ask for help.
- People you connect with.
- People you understand.
- People you sympathize with.
Everything else in our lives builds off these interactions with people. For it is people we interact with who so often give us the ability to look within and learn more about who we are. Conversely, we provide the same opportunity to those we encounter; it’s an amazing symbiotic relationship of self-realization.
Depending on the situation, we might be a key, a lock, or we might be both.
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As we go about our lives interacting with people, we are simultaneously locks and keys. Depending on the situation, we might be a key, a lock, or we might be both. The beautiful thing about this dynamic is that a key is useless without the lock it opens, and a lock’s true purpose is not realized until it is accessed by the key that can open it. This doesn’t mean that every person we meet is the key to our lock or the lock to our key, but more often than not there’s a connection to be made and something to be gained on both sides of the equation.
- happiness
- fulfillment
- purpose
- love
- enlightenment
- empowerment
- confidence
All have strong roots in the same source; people.
This is why money can’t buy happiness, because money can’t buy sincere human interaction. Money can’t buy a greater understanding of who you are. Money can’t buy a genuine connection with another human being. Money can’t buy a mutual feeling of respect. Money can’t buy a shared purpose. Money can’t buy compassion. Money can’t buy empathy.
The power each and every one of us possesses is immense, and we revolve around each other in an ecosystem of humanity.
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People can simultaneously lift you higher than you ever thought possible and plunge your soul to a depth you never knew existed. The power each and every one of us possesses is immense, and we revolve around each other in an ecosystem of humanity that has been present whether we have recognized it or not.
Connecting with people, helping people, and simply being human are the essence of life itself. Nothing can replace it and nothing comes close to simulating it.
It is through interacting with other people that we realize we are not alone. Sharing our feelings with others is how we break through our insecurities and fears because by doing so, we will undoubtedly discover that countless individuals feel the same way. The ultimate human irony is that we’re beautiful beyond measure but we often need help from others to realize the magnitude of our beauty.
Thankfully, the meaning of life is ubiquitous and there’s no shortage of people to help us on our journey.
By Charlie Scaturro
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Picture: Flickr/Alex Berger
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