What is the meaning of life?

Everyone seems to have an opinion about the meaning of life, even if the opinion is; “There is no answer, life is a big question mark.” Each person’s opinion is unique, particularly when you delve into the details. It’s not necessarily the complexity of the details, but an indication that the answer is a unique process for each individual. The uniqueness of each person’s process becomes difficult to define if, for no other reason than the sheer number of people. However, the steps along the process can be loosely enumerated.
I’ve taken the liberty to divide the process up into twelve steps that work pretty well for me. The real purpose of the twelve steps is to present something to begin your own thinking process. You might be more comfortable with an eight step division or even a different twelve step division. It really doesn’t matter as long as the process comes from your perspective, for yourself. For life to have meaning there must be some path. Therefore, the process becomes a life path that leads to spiritual growth.
So here are my twelve steps, hopefully you will come up with your own list. Your opinion is crucial to your unique path, and certainly from your perspective, more valid than mine.

1. Recognition of life is important - but does the recognition have meaning if there is no activity?
2. Activity in life is perhaps more important - but does the activity have meaning if there is no goal?
3. Moving toward a goal in life is perhaps more important- but does the goal have meaning if it changes or is not achieved?
4. The journey to the goal is perhaps more important - but does the journey have meaning if nothing happens along the way?
5. What happens along the way is perhaps more important - but does what happens have meaning if it becomes difficult?
6. Our reaction to what happens is perhaps more important - but does our reaction have meaning if we deny it?
7. What we learn from what happens is perhaps more important - but does what we learn have meaning if we don’t accept it?
8. Our acceptance of what we learn is perhaps more important - but does the acceptance have meaning if it is not integrated into our life?
9. The integration of the acceptance is perhaps more important - but does the integration have meaning if we don’t use it?
10. The use of what we have integrated is perhaps more important - but does the use have meaning if it doesn’t give fulfillment?
11. The fulfillment achieved is perhaps more important - but does the fulfillment have meaning if it doesn’t tell us more about ourself?
12. What we learn about ourself is perhaps more important - but does what we learn have meaning if it is not applied toward others?

Life is like the stock market, it has a tendency to fill in the gaps if it moves too fast. Steps through life can be bypassed but the full understanding is not achieved until the preceding step has reached its potential.
These twelve steps boil down to getting off your duff and doing something and paying attention to integrating what you learn into your life. Then take what you have learned and turn it inward. Then apply what you have learned about yourself and apply it outwardly in service.

In summary, the meaning of life, from my point of view, is; “Expanding the understanding of yourself through your experiences. Then applying your greater understanding in service.”

What do you think?

Sam