One of my favorite authors and podcasters (Jordan Raynor) describes the endless information we come in contact with through the internet as "infinity pools." We can dive in and never hit the bottom. This is a real danger for those of us who are striving to live a life of meaning and purpose. How do we move toward meaning and purpose? One of the main ways is to ask "why" and "how" questions. Let's start with this image and then I will discuss the greater purpose for Why Live Today toward the bottom of the page.
What did you see when you first looked at the picture? A study showed that younger people tended to see the young woman and older people the elderly woman (Scientific Report). Whether or not this is true, we realize on a shallow level that this is a fun optical illusion, but digging deeper is more meaningful. Ok, I admit that I saw the old lady first. So does that mean I am 46 years young, or old? We tend to perceive and process things in ways that relate more to who we are as people. If you are older and saw the young women, perhaps you are young at heart. 😉 Or, perhaps you don't want to acknowledge the reality of aging and death. I'm likely past halfway in my lifespan, so my focus is on the second half and making the most of my life. The things that really mattered to me in my childhood (friends and cool cars), teens (sports & girls), twenties (surfing and girls), and thirties (job) don't matter as much anymore. As I reflect on this, I come face-to-face with a profound question: "What does it mean to make the most of my life?"
Let's go a bit deeper by continuing to ask "why?" about this image. Consider the playful challenge posed by American cartoonist William Ely Hill (1887–1962) who published this picture with the title, "My Wife and My Mother-in-Law," and the caption, "They are both in this picture — Find them." Instead of an old and young woman, his description of wife and mother-in-law immediately shifts the perspective to a family relationship. On a more personal level, I can choose to ask why about my own family and relationships. For example, I can ask, "Why does my wife choose to act the way she does?" Then I can go deeper and choose to reflect on the similarities between my wife and her mom. Further still, I can consider how this impacts our own relationship. I could even dare to put the spotlight on myself with a question like, "Why do I think, feel and act the way I do in a given situation? What role did my family have in that?" Ok, so you probably see where I am going with this. It's a process of peeling back the layers through question and reflection. This can be beneficial on our own, with a trusted friend, or in a group.
I chose the above optical illusion by a cartoonist, partly because it's entertaining, fun, and gives me a bit more knowledge. But, I also chose it to illustrate how we often blaze through life's experiences out of necessity (eating, drinking, clothing, bills, taxes, etc.) for entertainment (pursuit of fun/pleasure) or to get information (a.k.a. knowledge). Is necessity, entertainment, or information wrong? I don't think so. In fact, these can be meaningful experiences (maybe not taxes or bills;-). But I would argue, if our lives are only physical necessities, entertainment, and information, then we are existing without a greater purpose or meaning (at best a weak one). The hamster is very entertaining on his wheel and super-cute as he eats his food and makes his cozy nest. But I don't believe that we were meant to be hamsters.
If you've read this far, then we are already starting to do what this website and YouTube Channel are about: engagement and exploration to discover the meaning of life's experiences!
I would love to hear your thoughts about the above image.
THE GREATER PURPOSE OF WHY LIVE TODAY
The Why Live Today website and YouTube Channel is focused on moving beyond shallow entertainment, necessity and more information. This is the hamster wheel trap, where we can forget that we are explorers and adventurers on a journey. We only have one shot at this life to make the most of it, but we often check out, settle or quit. My goal is to help us engage and explore why certain everyday experiences impact us more deeply, and how they begin to offer answers to profound "meaning of life" questions: Who are we (Identity)? Why are we here (meaning/purpose)? How do we live today (application)?
WHICH TUNNEL ARE YOU FOCUSED ON?
I've identified four roles or areas of focus that have been very helpful to me during various seasons of my life: Explorer, Fighter, Grower and Giver. Mole, the mascot of Why Live Today, likes to call them Tunnels of Focus;-) This is not an exhaustive list of roles or focuses, and often each of these focuses are playing out every day throughout our lives, but we tend to focus more on one of these areas depending on the season of life we are in. Want to find out your Tunnel Focus? Take the Meaning of Life - Tunnel Focus Quiz (Coming Soon). An explorer never gives up curiosity, wonder, and asking "why" about the meaning of life's experiences, no matter how small or insignificant the experience may seem!
As my economics professor said, "There's no free lunch." Meaningful reflection leading to deeper meaning takes digging (a.k.a. work!). Life is full of angles, perspectives and layers that can be peeled back to a deeper meaning or truth by intentionally asking and reflecting on a simple, one-word question, "Why?"
Do you want to miss out on making the most of the life you've been given? Then don't miss the deeper meaning of life's experiences today! I missed out on a lot for 18 years while I was caught up in a cycle of loneliness and addiction (See Freedom series). Don't check out, settle or quit like I did! Let's be more intentional about asking why!
Let's keep asking why about the meaning of life’s experiences today, even if they are small, bite-sized chunks that seem insignificant. As explorers, we want to dig into the curiosities, mysteries and wonders of our everyday life experiences and ultimately discover the deeper meaning in our lives today, and ultimately the meaning of life!
I would love to hear your comments below.
