The Meaning of Life
What is the meaning of life? To answer that, first we must answer, “What is meaning?” Meaning is the implication or the purpose of something. “My illness means that I can’t go to the party tonight” is equivalent to “The implication of my illness (for me) is that I can’t go to the party tonight.” “My illness means that I need to eat healthier” is equivalent to “The purpose of my illness (for me) is to let me know that I want to change my diet.”
So, what is the meaning of life? It is the implications of life, for you, or the purpose of life, for you. “The implication of my life is that, as someone who can play piano, I am able to entertain by playing piano. The implication of your life is that, as someone who can paint, you are able to entertain by painting.” “The purpose of my life is to see my children flourish. The purpose of your life is to commune with nature.”
But, need life have implications or purpose? Not at all. You are doing what you are doing. What you are doing doesn’t need to imply anything except that you are doing it. What is the meaning of what is in your peripheral vision now? That is part of your life. Perhaps it has no implications for you. What is the purpose of what is in your peripheral vision now? Perhaps it has no purpose; it just is what it is. Things have meaning for you if they have meaning for you, and they do not if they do not.
There are no secrets about the meaning of your life, because you already know perfectly what implications events have for you, and what purposes you have for yourself. That is because implications and purposes are a form of knowing, and you can no more not know these than not know your own experience.
Option Method – The Meaning of Life