The Meaning of Life | Teen Ink

The Meaning of Life

December 30, 2008
By Super_Girl14 SILVER, Kansas City, Missouri
Super_Girl14 SILVER, Kansas City, Missouri
9 articles 0 photos 0 comments

I believe the meaning of life is to give life a meaning. Throughout my entire life, I have wondered what the purpose is. Why am I and every other human being even on this planet in the first place?

That brings me to my next question. Is there a God? If there is, why did he put us here? Any Christian asked will say our sole purpose is to serve God. First of all, what does that even mean? And second, I must ask why? Why would a supernatural being place us strategically on this planet strictly to serve him? That sounds pretty selfish to me. There has to be something more. Something concrete. Something greater. How could there not be?

All my life I have worked hard to succeed. I have challenged myself and fought to do better than my best. Why? I asked myself. Why stress so much when I’m only going to die in the end? Pessimistic, I know. Finally, I thought, maybe the meaning of life doesn’t have to be so complex. Maybe the meaning of life is whatever we want it to be. Maybe the meaning of life is to give life a meaning. I do what I do because I want to do it. It’s that simple. I do it because it means something to me.

Everyone adds their own meaning to life. The meaning of life is never universal. The meaning of life is never complex. The meaning of life is actually quite simple to think about. Many people help the needy. Others play sports. Both activities add meaning to those lives involved.

Purposes change, but the overall meaning of life will always stay the same. The meaning of life is simply to give life a meaning. This I believe.


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This article has 8 comments.


Taj al-Azree said...
on May. 12 2016 at 9:37 pm
I can truly connect with your essay man. I am myself a constant searcher of meaning, and Albert Camus I beliece once said that human is a meaning-making machine trapped in a meaningless universe. Our desire for something bigger than mere existence is at odds with reality, and he called this 'The Absurd'. My only complain is that it is not longer. Bravo!

AKH10 said...
on Apr. 27 2016 at 8:54 am
AKH10,
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments
This is a great article. Anyone can tell you really sat down and gave time to think and respond to such a dense question. I think it was a very thorough answer and has a lot of meaning.

jayson said...
on Apr. 20 2014 at 9:32 pm
I think a know the meaning of life breaking it down peice by piece, life have a general meaning it doesn't stand ony for yourself... My theory about life's meaning is answered without the use of religion and extreme science  but still it wasn't finish but i am going to do it on papers,if someone interested just ask me..

on Oct. 2 2013 at 10:06 am
Garðar Ingvarsson BRONZE, Reykjavík, Other
1 article 0 photos 1 comment
            Wow! First of all I want to thank you for helping me in my search for the meaning of life. Miss_Bliss asked why we’re seeking meaning in everything and I say for me that it is what I like to do; I do it because I love searching for answers. My belief is that I, myself am God and I can do whatever I like. I just do what I want to do. I control my life perfectly. I know this sounds a bit insane but this is my world and no others except if I want. I only write this comment to you because I want to. Thank you.

silver bird said...
on Aug. 21 2013 at 11:48 am
life is about experience

LastWord said...
on Sep. 30 2010 at 7:36 am
Thea meaning of life is undeaniably to achieve whatever it is we set out to do in our short time on this earth. There is no one answer to what this meaning is because it's different for everyone. There will always be those who search and search for straight answers; most likely answers they will never find. Their purpose for example is to search, as it has become their life's work. Whatever your passion, desire or ambition, chase it, fufil it, live to your greatest potential and you will have found the meaning of your life.

on Jul. 23 2010 at 11:48 am
lizzymwrites GOLD, Miami, Florida
13 articles 0 photos 56 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people for me are the mad ones... the ones who never yawn and say a commonplace thing but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow Roman candles exploding like spiders against the stars." - Jack Kerouac

Of course God didn't make us to serve Him! We're here on Earth to love.

I hate it when people think we all blame God for everything. I don't know about other religious people, but I don't. God made me and occasionally sends me inspiration.

Whatever I do with my life is my own fault, no one else's.


on Jan. 28 2010 at 8:21 pm
Miss_Bliss GOLD, Waban, Massachusetts
17 articles 0 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If we did all the things we were capable of, we would literally astound ourselves."

-Thomas Edison

I've grappled with all of these questions a thousand times, just as it sounds like you have. My response to your question about life's meaning? I think it's incredibly similar to yours, though possibly a little more cynical: I think we might just all be here to BE. My mom unintentionally fostered inside me a belief in reincarnation, in the idea that we are all born and reborn into different lives. I think that the meaning of each life is just to LIVE--why do we seek meaning in everything? Maybe you're supposed to learn something in each life, but I used to think there really was no real meaning. Then I read your thoughts on it, and I have to agree. Maybe MY meaning is just to live. Maybe others have found that to be theirs, too, but in my mind, it is mine and mine alone. I love this concept, and have to thank you for writing this article. As for your reflections on a god, I don't believe in one. I sort of believe in Karma, but not really--why do people feel the need to blame anyone but themselves, and those around them, for their circumstances? (By the way, I'm actually a Reconstructionist Jew ... Not sure if this will make a difference, but I thought you should understand some of my influences if you're reading and thinking about this comment.) I'm assuming you've read A Raisin in the Sun, in which case you'll understand what I mean when I say I completely agree with Beneatha--no one is responsible for your life but you and your fellow human beings. I am here, and my actions all have consequences. No one's guiding me except for myself; I create my destiny.

on Nov. 1 2009 at 10:28 pm
Stormy16 SILVER, Tolleson, Arizona
7 articles 61 photos 95 comments

Favorite Quote:
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
-Victor Hugo

I do not concur...

I know there is a God and I'm living my life for him. You say God sounds selfish for wanting people to live a life for him, but that is not much to ask considering he gave his life for us. He created us, I also don't think we're only here to "serve" God, after all what does that really mean? I'm living my for God and trying to get the rest of the world to know of him, but in all honesty this is hardly ardous work. We don't wait on God hand and foot, we just simply live a life that is pleasing to him and spend our lives with him.