The Meaning of Life

The Meaning of Life

When I wonder about the actual meaning of life, two things spring to life and make me laugh:
Monty Python's hilarious The Meaning of Life and Karl Pilkington's brilliant The Moaning of Life. All comedians involved are hugely talented and, at the end of the day, your life does need humour to balance out all the sadness. I find, facing life with humour and being able to laugh at yourself is so important.
Where do I start to answer such a question as what is the meaning of life? It's probably easier to answer the moaning part! Too easy! And, like everything, when you think you have it figured out, it changes!
I suppose the meaning is personal and different to each and everyone of us. Some of us, who, like me are indecisive and always want the dessert the other person ordered, well, we probably have two meanings. Also, us Virgos go for choosing two meanings to give them an extra chance to not to be wrong. We don't like being wrong!
The meaning of life will change for people too, as they grow older and live through difficulties that change their perceptions of what is more important. It is about prioritising I suppose.
I have always clinged to this notion of how important family and friends are. I have always prioritised these, and still do. I do feel one of the main meanings of life is to love and be loved. It's that simple. But oh, such a great feeling to do both. In the words of The Beatles, 'All you need is love, love is all you need'. Madonna sung that it was love that made the world go round, not money. Of course, money helps but on its own, it's not enough. I do love this twist on the famous quote!

For me, it becomes a daily drive to be the best family member/friend you can be. And yes, I am realistic in knowing you won't manage that everyday; it's not sustainable. What is important is you wanting to be the best you can be. It's about the generations in families, remembering those who loved you and continuing that flow of love through the generations. Again, I'm not that naive to know families argue so it's trying to do this as much as you can.

I have learned from this in that sometimes, you won't fulfil this. Nobody's fault, just life gets in the way. I have stopped putting pressure on myself to be the best mum, wife, daughter and so on. So many roles and only twenty four hours in a day! I've found what has helped is some times, just texting a friend who is on your mind. Saying it might be next week me meet up but I'm thinking of you. Sometimes, just a text, a call can make that person's day. Yes, I must admit, some messages are sent after my head has hit the pillow at night, you know, just when your mind goes into overdrive!

So, family and friends, forming relationships and creating connections are really important to me. For me, they are the driving force of day to day living. The looking forward to events planned together, the warm feeling of knowing you will feel refreshed after seeing these people who mean so much to you. Building on connections and deepening relationships is so rewarding. You can have only known someone a few months, yet it feels like years. That face to face bonding is special. Now, more than ever, when we have been separated physically from these people, are we reminded of just what they mean to us.

This is such a poignant quote too. Time is precious, our days are. Who and what we fill our days with matter. What we collect does too. I love my antiques, my retro and vintage goods but the people in my life are who really matter; they bring the most joy and comfort.

The times I've reminisced with family and friends about traditions, events and memorable things we did. The sayings we have held on to, especially, in our family, my gran's wonderful sayings and stories. I used to sit, in awe of this amazing woman, my emotions flitting from pride and love to downright belly laughing. Like The Hokey Kokey, 'this is what it's all about'. Making memories and lasting legacies, stories to pass on down. Stories told witg pride and eagerly heard by small ears. I syill say to mum,
"Tell me that story again where so and so did tgat and so and so did this."
Again, I'm transported back to a nostalgic time, in the 40s, 50s and 60s. It makes me think of all those interesting, colourful characters in the brilliant Cider with Rosie by Laurie Lee. Back when everyone knew each other's name and you could leave your back door unlocked.

I do sometimes wonder what my legacy will be. Perhaps I've not accomplished everything yet? It is lovely to think your life held meaning. I love this next quote and think it is so true.

I believe, on looking back, it is the small moments with people we love, that are as important as the big, showy moments of our life. I am a very nostalgic person, yearning for one more walk with my dad; one more sing along with my grandad, playing the mouth organ; one more visit to the bargain store, Thoms with my gran; one more family gathering on both sides; one more listening in on my aunties as they chatted over their cuppas; one more night watching The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise with my grandparents; one more family game of Monopoly on a rainy day. There are so many normal, everyday one mores. We've all got them, these little things, with special people that become treasured memories.

If I could go back and relive certain things, it would be these, not my trips to Las Vegas, as fantastic as they were!

It's about the moments you feel in your heart. The feelings are so big, you can't ever put them into words as no high faluting words would ever do them justice. The down side to living these wonderful moments is trying to recapture them. This isn't always possible.  Some lovely memories need to stay just that.

Sometimes we try too hard, piecing our past together, attempting to make sense of certain events and memories. We can become obsessed with needing answers and closure, trying to find hidden meanings where there aren't any. We too, can try hard trying to find where we are in the present moment and what we will be in the future. We sometimes don't even realise we are lost. I felt like this at the ending of my career with ill health. I was lost and trying to claw back an old me that would never resurface. I'm reaquinting myself with parts of me I haven't seen in a long time.
Hello, pleased to meet you!

I love the juxtaposing words here. We don't always associate being lost as right. We see lost in a negative light. Perhaps, it is more helpful though, because you are only temporarily off track and there is a lovely, new adventure ahead!

I love the potential in this next quote, the excitement of the, what's next? When you have faced up to the fact your life has changed and the only way is to go with it, not against it, there is an element of excitement then. That's when you know you are ready to move on. Gone are those last twinges of regret and sadness. It's time to move on. What's lovely about this quote is it links back to having someone to share all this with.

I love this next quote from William Shakespeare. Find your gift, your passion and use them to help people. For two decades, I used my passion for teaching and helping and that makes me proud. Now, I have relit my love of writing and I love it when people say my posts have helped and cheered them up. My posts help me so much too! It's great to know you can be flexible with your passions and not have to stick to one. It's wonderful sharing with others. We all have our own, individual gifts. Why keep them to ourselves?

We do find our passions and our interests through life. I was very lucky to be able to secure a career where I felt passionate about what I was doing. It was a driving force for me on a daily basis. It is good to try and find a work/life balance. A very special person used to remind me, we work to live, not live to work. I have hung on to this. I try to live my life as passionately as possible, being thankful for the things, and people that inspire me.

I've always loved this next way of approaching life. I am an all or nothing person and do give people, jobs, hobbies my all. Once I stop doing so, I know it's probably not for me anymore. I love to see things to their conclusion and love to have closure, which does not always happen! If I'm doing a project, I won't rest until I'm satisfied with it.

This next quote is fab too. Sometimes, we feel like the Groundhog day film, especially now in lockdown. Sometimes, we have to get out there and change our day a bit, try new experiences to make our life a bit richer. And not in money terms!

At times, along the way, we can lose sight of our gifts and our passions may fall flat. We may feel a lack of purpose. I did when I left my career. I was like, well who am I now? It can be a right identity crisis. We let our jobs, careers, social standings and other things define us. And yes, they are a part of who we are but not the whole. It took much time and support from lovely people to realise this. Now, I'm ready to find a new calling and another way of helping people with my past experience.

My priorities, as with everyone, have changed as I've got older and been through too much drama. I am now ready for a quieter, more simple life. I am embracing the simple things and being more appreciative of them. Folk who want drama can have it. I will leave them too it. I am now needing a more comfortable, more satisfied way of life. I have had enough stress and mind games to last me. Give me  a book, a glass of wine and a corner to myself please! I love the Danish hygge way of life and have read about it and listened to Ted talks. It's about being comfy and you can have this feeling wherever you are.

Had I written this last year, I could not have said I was satisfied as I was in limbo and felt a failure. I can now say I am satisfied.

I love the quote, Just be .....
We spend years striving and years worrying. Well, I have! Now, I am happy to just be at the minute, to just be whatever it is I am. I'm now sitting comfortably with what I am for now.

This final quote sums it all up nicely I think. Perhaps the meaning of life isn't as challenging as searching for the Holy Grail. The meaning of life is so simple, it's at our finger tips and has been right under our noses all along.