The Meaning of Life

"Mommy, what is Life for?"

"Hmmmm? What do you mean, Corinne?"

"Well," she paused as she did a back bend on our family room floor and scrunched up her lips in the way one must do when one is truly thinking, really, really hard, "Well, why are we here? Why are we ALIVE?"

I paused as well. When your seven year old interrupts your game of Bejeweled Blitz to ask you about the Meaning of Life, it may take you a moment or two to compose your thoughts.

"Why do you think we're here?"

"I don't know! That's why I asked YOU. So, what's the answer?"

"Corinne, you just asked the question that millions and millions of people have been asking since they first knew how to wonder, since the dawn of mankind. Some people think that we are alive because..."

She loudly sighed as I began what was an obvious "school lecture" and covered her ears with her knees (Yes, her KNEES. She IS a gymnast, after all).

"Never MIND, Mommy! I just wanted an ANSWER, not a conversation."

Indeed.

What is the meaning of Life? Well, baby girl, I am here to shed some wisdom on you, for your future, when you are done bending yourself into a human pretzel and holding still long enough to read your Momma's words.

We don't exist to build or construct, nor to explore or conquer. We do not live so that we may think deep thoughts or write touching prose. Life is not lived for you to achieve or succeed and you are not alive so that you can earn degrees or promotions. You do not exist to "make a difference" (though I certainly hope that you do!) and the meaning of life will not be found in any book, regardless of who is said to have written the text.

Love, my darling.

It's all about love.

We exist only to love and touch and hold each other; To weep and laugh with absolute abandon. Your life's meaning will not be found in the beauty of the face you own, but in the love you see reflected in the eyes of those you love.

Love with your whole heart, your whole life, and you will no longer wonder at why you are here. You will know that the "why" has never really been all that important to begin with. Love others as I love you and you will know and have all you ever need in Life.