Fun fact: Today is the 183rd day in 2023, which happens to be the year’s midpoint, with 182 days on both sides of the divide. I think it is significant enough to have its own special recognition, just like New Year’s Day. This information is unrelated to today’s discussion, but I thought it was interesting enough to mention.
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A few days ago, I casually scrolled through my social media feed just before going to bed when I came across a post that caught my attention and subsequently ignited the metaphorical wheels of my prefrontal cortex. A friend had put out a question along the lines of “What does being alive mean to you?”. It wasn’t intended to be rhetorical; the questioner genuinely solicited answers from her audience.
I spent the next hour pondering over this simple yet deeply philosophical question, keen on providing an answer. To my surprise, coming up with a suitable response was more challenging than I thought. I retired for the night, harbouring unresolved thoughts on the subject matter. I made a mental note to resume my contemplation the next day.
It’s been about four days since then, and I cannot with certainty claim to have figured out the correct answer to the question. Well, maybe because there isn’t a “correct” answer. The meaning and essence of life seem to be quite subjective and differ from person to person. What translates as “life” to one person might communicate death to another.
So if there isn’t a universal metric to gauge the “aliveness” of a person, how then do we know if we’re truly living?
The Scientific View
We can approach the subject of life from various angles. For our first stop, we’ll consider it from the lens of science.
Basic biology defines life as an organism’s (in this case, human) ability to execute a collection of functions, including respiration, movement and growth, amongst other things. Simply put, biologically, the presence of breath in our lungs is life, and its absence thereof signifies death.
However, as cognitive beings, we understand that life as we know it transcends beyond just metabolism. Biology is limited in its scope and doesn’t account for deeper aspects of life, such as complex social interactions and other philosophical issues related to our existence.
The Deeper Meaning
Beyond science, we can also seek meaning to life from a philosophical standpoint. As a believer, my philosophy is hinged on my faith, and I’ll explore the subject matter based on my beliefs and general philosophy.
I firmly believe that we’re all planted here on earth for a specific purpose, and every individual has a peculiar mission assigned to their existence. Amongst other things, one key indicator of “being alive” would be an active pursuit of seeking out this mission and fulfilling it.
As simple as that sounds, many people fail to discover their mission, let alone fulfil it. You can hardly blame them, though. In my last post, I hinted that most folks start out in life with big goals and purpose-oriented ambitions, but as they transition into adulthood, they’re forced to trade these dreams for “reality”.
Are You Alive, Or Just Living?
In a world system designed to stifle out the very essence of life from within us, replacing it with mundane pursuits for survival, living a fulfilling life has become the exception rather than the norm. Most people end up frustrated, with little or no zeal to pursue what once made them tick. Although they still go about their daily activities, the light that once burned within them is extinguished. In the words of Robin Sharma, author of The 5am Club, “too many among us die at thirty and are buried at eighty”.
Being fully alive goes beyond just waking up daily to mundane routines. It goes beyond survival. Being fully alive is realizing that you’re on a mission and the clock is ticking against you. It’s a conscious pursuit of your purpose here on earth.
It is said that it’s not the years in your life that counts; it’s the life in your years. Our lives are measured not by how much time we spend here on earth but by how much of our assignments we fulfil and how much impact we make while on the journey.
As I drop my pen, permit me to leave you with this question: Are you really alive, or are you just living?