“My brother is still asking me what’s the meaning of life. What do you think I should say to him?”
“Tell him to look for the answer in church….”
“CHURCH? I don’t think he’ll be impressed by that answer.”
“Because if you try to look for the answer only in science and logic, it’s all doom and gloom. The facts tell us that life is basically about being born, growing up, falling sick, growing old, then dying. It does little to give any meaning or reason to it.”
“But if you want truth and meaning, then you need to look beyond science and facts… And start looking into religion, faith and spirituality.. Because the question of truth isn’t purely factual, its spiritual.”
“Hmmm……….so what do you think IS the meaning of life then?”
“Do I look like a Sage on a hill to you?”
“Come on, I’m sure you have an answer…”
“AN answer yes.. but not THE answer….”
“I think….. the meaning of life…. is………… relationship.”
“I think all of life is about that; our relationship with our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, friends, colleagues, etc and also with God. I think relationships give meaning to life. That’s why 80% of the time, our worries and concerns in life are about relationship. Other things like money problems can always be worked out… and they almost always do.”
“But relationship issues are usually what give us the biggest thrills as well as heartaches. That’s why all the pop songs are love songs… Relationships stir and inspire us the most because ultimately, it’s what we all are wired to do – develop relationships.”
“And what about love? Do you think that there’s still a place for that? Because I know so many people who just don’t bother about love anymore.”
“I dunno….. I think that deep down inside, we’re all idealistic people. We want to believe that love is enough, that love is all conquering, that when two people love one another there is nothing they cannot overcome. I still try to hold on to that belief in my heart even as many others throw it out the window.”
“My own mother is like that. She is only concerned with money, security and materials… Nothing about love or relationships. What do you say to people like that? How do you make them believe in love again?”
“I don’t know………. Nothing really.”
“Really? Nothing?”
“I mean, you can’t really change them if that’s what you mean to do. But what you CAN do, is love them and make sure they know they are loved…. not because of anything they have, but simply because you do. Hopefully they will come around.....”
“And that’s the beauty about love; it’s not a zero sum game, it’s not a ledger sheet that must balance out. People love not because they gain a benefit out of it. On the contrary, people love because they want to bestow a benefit to someone else…even at their own expense.”
“A lot of times, people don’t know how to love because they have never been shown love, or they don’t recognize it when it’s there.”
“So you think I should try to get my brother a girlfriend? So that he can learn about relationships and love and stuff like that?”
“Hahaha… NO.”
“Then?”
“Tell him to go to church.”
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The poetry of life, with the love it contains and that contains it, is the only response to death - E. Morin, French philosopher and sociologist
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