I think when you start using buzz words like "purpose" then you begin navigating the murky waters of destiny. Some people believe we are all on a pre-set course and others feel that's baloney and we are in complete control as individual humans.

Then there are those types like Forest Gump who believe its a little of both.

I dont think there is any definitive purpose. Im in the baloney crowd there. The reason I have reached this conclusion is that ALL living, breathing entities have an impact on the world one way or another. I dont just mean humans either but all living animals.

I say this because I raised a shelter dog that was about to be euthanized. He was literally on death's door because no one would take him. He had behavior problems. I was a foster parent and had just adopted out my last dog so I took this one at the last second.

This dog ended up being adopted by a family and alerting them to a fire that had started in their laundry room. They had no fire alarms installed at the time.

So was that destiny? No, probably not but it worked out good for everyone involved. Someone else probably has a story that is the exact opposite and a tragic set of circumstances.

My take on this is that purpose is decided, not "discovered".

That is, if you aren't following a purpose that you decided on, then, if you are following a purpose at all, it is someone else's purpose.

It seems much more productive to me to decide on your own purpose and follow that, as opposed to asking for a purpose to be handed to you from some outside source.

This thread is beginning to remind me of that Steve Martin film "The Jerk." That part when the new phone book arrives and he's jumping up and down because he's in print. This is the decisive moment for his "special purpose" in life.

The point of it all?...... Don't you know?


it is just to have a meatball sandwich...

that is it. That is the point of it all

sorry...kind of realized i might have stepped on a toe with that statement....my bad

As I said...nothing worse than being misunderstood when you feel strong about a subject - I definitely didn't see that from the response which I read....don't know where I have been on this whole "subject."

Answering your question would almost be like agreeing that there is no purpose. I strongly disagree. If there was no purpose, the only purpose would be to enjoy your time here. If you don't believe in the continuation of your soul then you might as well do exactly what makes you happy and gives you peace while you're here. If you believe there is no purpose, you sure as hell are wasting your time trying to decide whether or not that leaves you with a purpose.

It would seem to me that we should do that in any case.

I mean surely just because we continue on after our body dies should be no reason to be unhappy in this life and do things that don't bring us peace?

What sense would that make?

It seems to me that it shouldn't make any difference whether life is terminal or eternal. That shouldn't change the purpose of life.

Unless of course you believe that this life is a test for some kind of judgment. But all that says is that the purpose of life is to be judged by some unseen external deity.

Even so, it would seem to me that doing exactly what makes you happy and gives you peace would be a good thing to be judged on.

Should that not be eveyone's goal whether they think they are going to be judged on it or not?

Surely happiness and peace are good things to pursue.

Personally I would think seeking happiness and peace should be enough purpose in life in and of itself.

And that should be true whether life is terminal or eternal. That shouldn't make any difference at all.

I've asked myself a lot over the past few days, 'What is the point of it all?'

And all I have come up with, is in this moment, this very moment, between the in and the out breath.......... you are here.

And through being here....you affect people....you enrich their lives, by your presence...and when you are gone, still they are enriched, by having 'known' of you.

We are here for the benefit of others, as am I for yours, and you for mine...

You have something for me, and I have something for you....and neither of us may ever know what that was, but we are all the more whole for having had that experience.

As I said...nothing worse than being misunderstood when you feel strong about a subject - I definitely didn't see that from the response which I read....don't know where I have been on this whole "subject."



OMG, I sincerely beg your pardon, I must've misinterpreted your advice --

So here is the conclusion. You need to find what is best for YOU. You need to figure out what makes you the strongest, happiest, most satisfied person you can be. And then...you are alive. Just like that flower. The before mentioned part is the water. Everyone gets sunlight.


...except of what you forgot to mention:
whatever makes you happy must also be of some value to the others -- since we live in the materialistic world. Otherwise, one won't be able to sustain oneself! (well, there's always Welfare -- in case one cannot find a way of being valuable to others...)

Essentially, you're absolutely right -- from the point of view of a female who's fulfilled at least one of the Life's purposes (i.e. produced descendants)! How simple and yet beautiful:
BREATH IN AND OUT...

On the other hand, how is it different from that of the animal's purpose? ? ?

An animal's purpose? Ask them.

Observe them...they are fully present in the moment, their moment...they live, they love, they create, they destroy...always fully present in THAT moment.

Animals live a full life... they just get on with it.

just BEING.

So, then, it is decided:

THE GREATEST PURPOSE OF LIFE IS... BREARHING -- IN & OUT..

(____________i.e. IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT!______________________)
i.e. if your spouse is willing to support your important endeavor -- assuming, of course, your spouse does NOT have the same conception of the life's purpose... Otherwise, you might be facing endless arguments about who's turn is it to BREATH today! ! ! LO-O-OL
(assuming, of course, you have a spouse! ! !)

Oh yeah, and you might as well forget about making babies -- the business of Breathing doesn't PAY much! ! !
(unless you have powerful connections...)