The Meaning of Life

"Einstein said he could never understand it all; planets spinning through space; the smile upon your face. Welcome to the human race!' So sang the magnificent song writer and musician James Taylor.

The wonderfully erudite and insanely funny members of Monty Python's Flying Circus made a movie about this very same subject. Philosophers and writers down the centuries have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of an answer to this question.

What, after all, is the meaning of life? Does it even have a meaning or is this simply something we humans need to subscribe to in order to satisfy our limited mental capacities?

The most fascinating thing about this question is not if there is an answer to it - or even if the answers might be different for each of us - the most intriguing thing about asking "The meaning of life" - is that we can ask the question at all.

We might as well ask ourselves what is the definition of infinity? Some things it seems, we cannot know and perhaps we never will.

It is amazing we concern ourselves with so many other "important things" in our everyday lives without slowing down to ask ourselves these "big picture" questions. The arguments we get into over minor issues, the energy we pump into things we suppose to be important, the trivial concerns we stress over at work, the stands we take in the name of whatever popular cause or notion as they present themselves to us. It is amazing we do these things when the bigger picture all around us is so elusive and so undefinable.

Such is the mystery and the majesty of life as a human being. This evening if you can, after sundown, step outside and look up into the sky. Ask yourself: "If I draw a straight line up there between any two stars, where will it lead?" Mr. Einstein speculated that the line would lead us right back to where we are right now.

Try and get your mind around that concept, then sit back and marvel at what it is to be the amazing human being that you are. You might think you know what the meaning of life is for you - or maybe you are in the process of figuring that out. We hope this is the case. Letr us know when you figure it out!