We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people. How did the universe come into existence? Are we alone as living beings in the vast universe? When did the life first emerge in the world? Who are we? What is the purpose of our presence here? Where is our path leading us to? When one begins to question everything, the burden can become overwhelming, and in the absence of answers, even the most basic aspects of life can seem meaningless. Many philosophers, astrophysicists, and ordinary individuals have attempted to articulate the intricacies of the universe, human existence, and life throughout history. One renowned verse from the poem on existence is presented by Walt Whitman, as follows:
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
What could made these, me or life ? Will we ever uncover the answers to this? Then, what’s the purpose of delving into it and comprehending what has escaped discovery throughout history, much like the millions who passed through this Earth? Yet, it echoes our pursuit of life, aware that one day we will inevitably face mortality.
“Your path in life might be far from clear,
Where it leads, you cannot steer,
Questions would plague you, deep and true,
About humanity, the world, and what to do.
Is life a cycle, just repeat and fade?Born, live, and then we're laid,
What's the purpose of it all?
you search for answers, hear the call.
One thing you all should know, we're not alone,
Many others have come and gone”
In his book Cosmos, Carl Sagan stated “The lifetime of a human being is measured by decades, the lifetime of the Sun is a hundred million times longer. Compared to a star, we are like mayflies, fleeting creatures who live out their lives in the course of a single day”.
Within this brief timeframe, we often encounter a lot of events and rollercoaster of emotions including fear, sadness, happiness, as well as being lost. There is a constant shift between the desire to pursue all that the world has to offer and the inclination towards doing nothing at all. One may seek to explore every corner of the earth, yet still feel a sense of belonging. They seek to love and be loved by another while simultaneously embracing the life of a nomad. It's a world of irony, where the desire to communicate is thwarted by the inability to do so, and those who have the power of speech choose to remain silent. Those who are deprived of sight long to witness the beauty of the world, yet those who are blessed with vision ignore it. Wealthy individuals are burdened by the weight of their riches, unable to find meaning in their abundance, while those who have nothing crave to fulfil their desires. Matters of the heart are no exception, with lovers failing to cherish their affections and the lonely yearning desperately for love. This is a strange world, where those who desire to act are unable to do so, and those who have the means to bring about change choose not to. The contradictions are enough to leave one feeling intense emotions of bewilderment and dismay.
We, as humans, possess an intricate complexity that surpasses that of any machine. Unlike other machines, we were not programmed with a specific set of behaviours or given a predetermined purpose in this life. We find ourselves uncertain of our direction, our actions, and the motivations behind them. Our lives are influenced by a whirlwind of emotions, guiding our choices and actions, as well as by the traditions passed down through generations, stretching back to a time beyond our reach. However, we are constantly evolving, shedding outdated beliefs and acquiring new knowledge relevant to our time. Among the many emotions that influence us, fear holds significant sway. Fear propels us to make decisions, driving us to attend schools and universities out of a fear of ignorance, to marry due to a fear of social exclusion, and to fall in love out of a fear of growing old alone. We often conform to stereotypes and follow the crowd because it provides a sense of security and has been the norm for ages, while we hesitate to take a different path out of fear. Fear, therefore, acts as a barrier to not only external discoveries but also to self-discovery. When we overcome fear, we break free from the influence of the crowd and embark on a quest for knowledge, uncovering profound truths about ourselves and the world around us.
It's crucial to embark on a never-ending search every day, one that will lead us to people and places that resonate with our innermost being, and nourish our soul. If you ever settle for things that aren't meant for you and allow the curiosity inside you to wither away, you'll experience a profound inner death long before your physical demise. The very essence of our existence is to discover our purpose, to seek out the people, places, and everything else that will fill our soul with happiness and meaning. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. Discovering one's purpose in life is not a simple task. We often hear the advice to find our purpose, but what does it truly mean? Why is it even important? Perhaps the immense popularity of books like Ikigai stems from people's desperate desire to uncover their purpose amidst the chaos of our world. However, purpose is not a universal concept that applies to every individual. It is highly subjective, and defining it in terms that resonate with everyone seems like an impossible feat. But what if I proposed a simpler yet profound notion: the purpose of every human being on this earth is to pursue something that awakens the realisation that we are here for a unique reason. Just like Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, whose scientific contributions enlightened humanity about the workings of the world, we all have the potential to work towards something that reveals our individual purpose. This purpose may not necessarily involve benefiting the entire human race, as it is far from an easy task. Nevertheless, what I can affirm is that by freeing ourselves from the expectations imposed upon us by this unguided world, and maintaining an unwavering search for the true essence of our existence, we can uncover the real meaning of our lives. Instead of questioning everything around them, people simply accept to continue living their mundane lives. Little do they know that the answer to their deepest questions lies in their ability to question and investigate everything. "We make our world significant by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers". Every question is a try to understand the world. You may seem lost in the beginning but eventually you’ll realise "being lost is so close to being found". What a terrible fate it is to be born into this world, live our lives, and die without ever truly understanding the meaning of it all.