I know, do you?
I was watching my children having fun, running around and enjoying life the other day and I had one of those "why are we here?" moments. I'm sure everyone has them, just want to know the whole purpose of life. Not to much to ask is it?
As I sat watching the kids I thought children are certainly the reason we're here. What higher purpose could there be than to have children, protect them, nurture them and then set them free prepared to take on the world? Prepare them to experience life in a way I never could.
Then a thought occurred to me, by the time they're ready to take on the world it's time for them to get married and have kids and devote their lives to raising them. Wait just a second I thought... is that it? The whole purpose of life is a cycle that repeats itself over and over. A system that seems to never have a pay off for those who do it right? Yes, raising good children is hard but people have been doing it since the beginning of man. With all my advantages I can do no better with my life than a neanderthal did thousands of years ago?
For five full minutes I sat in disbelief that there wasn't more to it. Wouldn't trying to save the world be a better reason for our existence? Shouldn't someone break the cycle and take life to the next level? Then my little girl fell and her cry snapped me back to reality. I walked over to her, stood her up and brushed her off. She had a tear in her eye but she gave me a little grin that let me know she wasn't hurt as much as scared. She turned and ran away.
I sat back down to wait for the next time one of them got scared because I want to be there to pick them up and brush them off. Maybe that is all there is to life for me. Maybe they will grow up to cure cancer or be great leaders. Maybe they'll just grow up to be parents and just maybe their children will be the first to walk on Mars. Who knows but it probably won't happen without me being here for them now.
I realize children aren't for everyone. That there are people on this earth doing important things other than raising children. Things that make sense to them. I'm not professing to know why we are here, or why you are here, but I do know why I'm here and there is a lot of comfort in knowing. Knowing what's important and what to focus on. If that's all there is for me then that's enough because it's more than I deserve and more than I ever dreamed of.
10 comments:
Yes, who are we, why are we here, how long are we here for.I think for people to raise great kids and live a decent life is about all you could ask for. Or just knowing why we're here would be a satisfaction and a comfort,(like you have.)
I have this feeling I wish I could shake of wondering when my life is going to begin, I know it's an awful thought to have all the time.
There is a strange dynamic around me for the last while, and I know I will get through, it's just taking longer than I want.
Fighting onward.
I'm speechless at the moment.
It's a good post RT.
:)
Its good to question, but don't spend too much time questioning something you will never get an answer to. Just enjoy your life :) lifes too short to do anything otherwise. :)
There is, indeed, great comfort in knowing one's purpose. :-)
Congratulations! {{{{{RT}}}}}
I don't think the reason we are here is to necessarily populate the earth. Yes of course it helps but it certainly isn’t for everyone. I for one have no desire to have kids.
I personally think it is a test. Life goes on after this. It simply has to or what would be the point in the world? There is so much to it. It’s simple little things like the way a tree grows, a flower that blossoms. Or the instincts of an animal and of course the amazing function of the human body. The world was not an accident, it is a very clever creation and we are being tested.
If you think right now your heart is pumping blood around your body just so you can live. It’s amazing and we take too many things for granted. I have just finished reading a horrific story about a little girl’s survival after being kidnapped and repeatedly raped – locked away from her family for months with hardly any food.
She has amazing strength of character and takes a very positive outlook on life. But it does make you think. Is God just testing us to see how well we deal with these things? They say the lord doesn’t give you anything you can’t deal with. Maybe that’s true? Who knows!
But we are lucky , to have the privilege of watching children grow, to eat, to be clean, to be alive! Just to breathe. Life is amazing, and although I get down sometimes about all the traumas that go on in the world I am in love with life and all that surrounds me.
Having moments like this is always unnerving - realizing just how insignificant we are in the whole scheme of things. It makes you really take a step back from things and think. Children are a huge part of life in general - take a look around nature. Everything revolves around the next generation, the continuation of the species. Raising children is it's own reward, from everything I've heard. Lots of tough work, but fufilling in the end, knowing you've helped form the next generation of our race. Keep up the good work!
So bascially we should all have more sex? Is that what you're saying? I like your style.
Now show us your bum. :) joke!
HB: Been there, that definitely figures into my thinking. When does life start? After school? when you marry? when you get money? with kids? when you retire?
I think John Lennon said it best
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Jen: thanks :)
Daughter: It does allow me yo focus on the important stuff
Lindsay: True, I think we all have a different purpose, I feel mine is my kids right now. Maybe it is all a test or maybe life is a gift from God that we need to be very thankful for and not waste, or both. :)
Wookie: Thanks, you're right, will my kids grow up to be a positive influence on society or a drag? It is important, and rewarding.
20 Something: To busy to give the thought to much attention, my kids fall down a lot:)
Ha, actually I did think of the more sex angle. Maybe it's all about getting the right genetic mix until the next Einstein or Mother Tresa is born. Maybe that's all it is, billions of people mixing DNA until the "right" people are born of course I hope that's not true.
Summer is here so if a good shot of the old tush shows up I'll post it. LOL :)
Thats a very interesting angle actually. Natural selection. Are we busy reproducing, living, dying reproducing living dying, to produce that one great race of people? After all it's natural that the weak evetunally die out, why would that be, unless it was the way things were meant to be.
Diseases come and go, black death, aids etc, they wipe out millions of people, only the strongest are meant to servive to go and and create stronger, more intellgent, efficient animals. hummmm too much thinking.
forget that - just show us your butt will ya! :) I'm only joing by the way, I do think about other things.
well it is a lot to think about... natural selection that is. :)
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