My Life as I Wished I Lived It

 The meaning of life is a topic that has been debated as long as time itself. Some argue it is to be happy, some argue it is to form a healthy relationship with God, some argue it is being truly grateful for what you have, and some spend their whole life searching for this meaning. I believe many would be shocked at the statement there is no meaning of life because it’s such a direct contradiction to what we’ve been taught our whole lives. When we examine the meaning of life through a scientific viewpoint, we see just how little purpose there is in the human being. We were not put on this Earth by any omnipotent, supernatural, all knowing creator, but science tells us that we evolved from our primate ancestors. All the life that Earth has known began as a lonely single celled organism; from there, other life forms developed, humans being no different. There was no guiding spiritual factor in the development of humans either: cells simply continued to reproduce and weak traits got weaned out until we were such a successful species that we had no natural predators except other humans. If we were placed here by another force, that would imply there was a purpose needing to be fulfilled, a reason behind humans being made. However, this is not the case, and it is through natural and biological processes that humans reached the point in development we are currently in. This is not to invalidate Christianity, or any religion for that matter, as many do develop a relationship with God later on in life, but simply to highlight the differences between the physical world we live in and the religious realm we seek comfort in, and show how existing in this physical world takes away a meaning.

This is also not to say that just because there is no purpose in the human life or no inherent meaning to be found in the human life, meaning or value within life cannot be found. All around us there are things, people, ideals, concepts, and so many more that substitute in meaning for us and add value to our lives. Many ask the question “But how do I find value in my life? How do I know if I already have it?” and the answer is very easy I believe: every life has value. The mere fact that one has a body to inhabit, one has a way of living in and experiencing this world we live in gives that life value. It is the most basic gift given to humanity, but so often overlooked. From the moment a mind begins developing, that mind and life have value. Each person is born with their own unique consciousness, and each person views the world differently. This inherent fact cannot be changed, as quite literally no two minds are alike, and this itself gives your life value. It is not up to anyone else, or even yourself, to determine whether or not you have this value, because you were born with it. There are things we may do along our journey of life that help add meaning to our meaningless lives, like discovering true happiness and forming healthy relationships, yet value is something that comes preinstalled in humans. No life should be told it doesn’t have value, and no life can be degraded by the “lack” of value, as others view it. Life is a gift, and it is my belief no part of life is without value.

Every life is indeed born with the most basic and broad level of value. However, it is also my belief that as we live our lives, this value can fluctuate. The fact that living was granted to you at the beginning of your life first adds value, yes; but it is what you chose to do with this life that can either increase or decrease your value. A child molester, for example, obviously made some not so good choices that are definitely not a valuable contribution to the world. Committing unspeakable acts of physical and mental pain for one's own pleasure cannot be regarded, in a morally just world, as valuable in any form. Meanwhile, a volunteer at the soup kitchen, who donates her own time to the less fortunate is considered to be a life of extreme value. So how do we make this distinction between what adds value to a life, or what takes it away? I believe it all comes down to what positivity you can contribute to the world, and how you can help other people. Make other people feel good first, but don’t forget to take care of yourself too. The people around us are one of the most important sources of happiness and comfort in our lives, and also one of the only things we can have faith in; it is how you chose to serve those around you that determines your worth, I believe. 

Within my own life, there are three things I’d like to have experienced by the end; the first one is a stronger sense of self worth. I struggle frequently with the fact that my worth is better represented on paper, in terms of my achievements or successes, but I don’t necessarily feel like who I am on paper; for instance, my grades say I’m a smart and capable student, but I feel as if I’m always behind in learning and far below where my peers, and that my grades are simply luck. It's important to myself that I gain this sense of self worth in my future, because I really feel I need self validation. It is not my confidence with others I struggle with, and I’m very proud of who I am as a person, I just feel like there's a disconnect between my achievements and who that person is. Many others validate me, or should, but I think it is myself I need to hear it from. I want to be proud of my successes, and I think that’s something all of humanity can benefit from. It’s often frowned upon, because it’s seen as bragging, but I believe more than healthy to be proud of what you accomplished, because it helps to add pieces of meaning to one's life. Another thing I wish to experience before I die are a greater sense of selflessness, I like to think I do a lot for those less fortunate than me, in terms of wealth, friendship, love, and others, but the nagging guilt in the back of my head that tells me I could be doing more tells me exactly that: I could be doing more, and I should be doing more for others. This is of extreme value to me, as I was raised to always be kind to others and to help those who need it. It’s a value I think everyone and anyone can benefit from; all humans have on this planet are each other, and supporting each other is one of the most basic survival skills. Groups are stronger together, and it is no different for humans. We must support each other.

Furthermore, at the end of my life I’d like to be able to look back on my life and not have any regrets, and be content with what I have done. This sense of integrity is something you can gain from one quick action at any point in your life. It is rather a culmination of your life and all the things you did, and how they made you feel. Throughout my life, I must live intentionally and not pass up on opportunities in order to achieve this, and with this being my goal it sets my life up to live purposefully and meaningfully. This, again, is something every human should attempt to achieve. Many live their life without a direction to go, because they do not realize how broad this goal can be. But in reality, being happy is the ultimate goal. As John Lennon once said “When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy'. They told me I didn't understand the assignment, and I told them they didn't understand life." Pursuing this goal of happiness and integrity during one's life provides structure as well as opportunities, and one's own growth cannot be limited by a more narrow and specific goal. 

At only 17 years old, it’s quite difficult to pick a virtue that sums up the legacy of Daelyn. I am unsure of what the future holds, but looking back on what I have lived through, I can say it’s my compassion that I’d most like people to remember. I spent a lot of time trying to tell myself that I was a rock, and didn’t let a lot of emotions get to me. As I dealt with some personal experiences, I began to realize that was not the case, and I instead feel things very strongly. I eventually became at peace with this fact, and even grew to appreciate it. It was this personal transformation, I believe, that allowed me to have such a strong sense of the pain others were feeling. All the people around me are so incredibly good to me; they show they care about me, they love me, and make me feel valued. It's extremely important to me that I return this feeling and reciprocate love. My friends sometimes tell me I care too much for others, and that I need to worry about myself more, though I think in today's day and age, we need more compassion than ever. As I said before, I believe the people around us are one of the most influential factors in our lives, and it is our duty as humans, the only species with such a complex set of emotions, to make sure those around us feel cared for and appreciated. Humans are all humans have, and no one should have to hurt alone.