223: How do you define your life?

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 Do all the other things, the ambitious things – travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop) – but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality – your soul, if you will – is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly. And someday, in 80 years, [...]I hope you will say: It has been so wonderful.

- George Saunders message to Graduates

Let's talk about life. Back when I was in college, I often thought how mundane it is to just live, work, have family, work, and retire. Not that there's something wrong in that sequence. But I thought that I am sure there's more to life than that. I knew mine is. I knew deep inside that we are born with purpose. So I seek, I seek for answers to my questions.

We have different meaning of what life is: Mine could be very well different from yours. But if you'd ask me what life is: I believe it's experience. Experience different (good) adventures, see different places, experience different emotions, and ingrate everything on memory so when I reach my aging years I will be able to tell my stories to my grand daughters/sons. Write them on a book and share how exhilarating it is to skydive at Peru, how beautiful the sunset is in Mykonos, Greece. How beautiful France at midnight, To join the volunteer and feed the people at Kenya, and etc,. I want to experience all of this without limitation, hence I am glad that I found what I wanted to pursue (and I'm pursuing it now!).

I want to glorify my struggles, pains, and challenges and how it shaped me to become the person I am. To inspire people and make them realize that those pains are not there to break us but to make us a better person. For me, the ultimate goal is to know that through my experience I am able to inspire and motivate people.

I want to define my life as someone who found happiness by appreciating, and seeing God's handcraft to us.

We could have different view of what life is. Others, might say that they have lived life by being loved, by finding happiness through living simple, or by devoting themselves to God. Every one of us a different definition. So you, what's yours?