Look up at the stars one night, marvel at their complex beauty. You will see infinity in the form of distant lights that shine with through with such radiance. It is inevitable that this scene will not move you to ask questions about the nature and purpose of life. After all, how can life have an inherently important purpose if we are just specks of dust compared to these giants?
As I looked up at the stars one night, these were the questions I arrived at, and it became my goal to seek the answers. Life, for me, has been a journey that has transcended space and time to answer core questions of human existence. I would revisit those stars on many of long walks home, and while I was a mere man in a field of giants, I would begin to find the answers. I found purpose in the stars.
The first question I asked myself was on the nature of God. Did the same hand that painted the stars paint me? I took this question with me, away from the stars, and in to my daily life. Through discussions, I found that we are all looking for something that we cannot name. I decided I would call that God, because it was universal need for something bigger. If we, as humans, all have a need for God then there must be a force that binds us all together. I was beginning to find an answer to my question, and it led me to form my own unique religion.
I merged the philosophy of Taoism with the religion of Christianity, and merged them together with elements of existentialism. The core of my religion is that God is a divine force that we all share, and is evident in all the overarching themes of human existence. Also, it is religion that is based on choice and helping others. I believe a live lived through love is the most productive because it promotes a general welfare for the masses. My religion is not based on the principals of guaranteed salivation, it is on the idea that we all have a chance to do something bigger in our lives; it is our duty and our burden to make the most of this responsibility.
My second question was on my relative significance as a mere man. After all, I was standing under infinity, and I was lucky to be a small part of it. However, my question began to revel the answer, as infinity must be built out of everything in order for it to be infinite. Therefore, I must matter as a human being because I am a part of a system. Life is interconnected in the sense that we are all a part of something bigger. If we continue with the metaphor of a system, then we can begin to see an application in our daily lives.
In order for a system to work at its maximum potential, all parts of the system must work at their maximum potential. The answer for me is I must lead a productive life where I contribute to humanity as a whole. For me, it meant being a charitable person who can love and accept everyone because they are also a vital part of life. Also, I decided on a career path that I feel would suit my need to help people best. I either want to be a history teacher or a politician in my future so I can impact people’s lives. Ultimately, my highest goal is to be a productive member of society working towards a progressive future of unity.
My last, and maybe the ultimate question I ask the stars is about my purpose. Why am I here, and where do I go now that I am here? I decided that the only answer to my question was simple: ask questions. I believe that life is a journey, and all to often we run away from reality into our would of illusion.
The real world is the world of thought and consciousness; it is what we use to grow from. I ask questions to get the most out of life; in essence life is one giant question. My goal in life is to enter that world of growth, and to never stop feeling enlightened. The beauty of life is that when we find one answer we are presented with more questions. The shared body of work we call philosophical thought is only one possible solution, but there are an infinite number of answers. As human beings, it is our duty to strive to find a personal answer to the questions of reality. While I search for the answers to my growing number of questions, I never forget the stars; because in their infinite space they see all the answers.