The Meaning of Life

I strongly believe that happiness is the most important thing in life. We get one shot at life; no mulligans or second chances. Whether it’s passing up an opportunity to perform a random act of kindness like helping a stranger, or doing something just because the money is good rather than what makes you happy…those decisions change your life forever. You pass through this world but once and you should do as much good for yourself and others as possible. Go sail, go paint, go to Thailand, go count your socks, go stop world hunger, or go read the almanac, do whatever it takes to make you feel like the best version of you.

Our world is facing one of the toughest economic times in recent memory. The United States of America is struggling to keep it’s character, it’s personality, and it’s purpose. The American dream brought the world together once, and it needs to again. You can see the struggle everywhere. People are keeping ideas to themselves and acting selfish because it’s a “tough world out there.” “It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there,” people say. Why? Why can’t we have a “dog-help-dog” world out there? We’re facing problems that none of us can handle alone. As humans, we can’t survive without each other. These economic times have stunted our growth as a species. Instead of helping each other and sharing ideas, we’re keeping them to ourselves because we’re fighting over promotions or paychecks or salaries or benefits. The real benefits are the people that are right in front of us.

Since Ben & I have moved to Aspen, we’ve received nothing but warm, helpful, and friendly reactions from everyone we’ve introduced ourselves to.

For example, we hiked the Ute Trail today. It was a tough hike; must’ve been over 1500 ft change in elevation over a meager 1-2 miles. It was refreshing but brutal, and rewarding yet humbling. We reached the top of the hike and sat in the glory that is the Rocky Mountains with the town of Aspen sitting quietly in the valley below and, while looking back at pictures and thinking back to being there, I realized that it was a very introspective view that ignited insightful thoughts and new perspectives in my head.

Ben and I met this gentleman that had been sitting there for just a few minutes before we arrived. He spoke, not eloquently, but genuinely. He had modest clothing, long gray & black hair with a scraggly beard and he gripped a wooden walking staff that looked every bit as home-made as he did. His soul seeped from his pores like sweat and his words sparked thoughts in my head like fireworks. We spoke of work, life, local problems and world problems. The conversation was brief, but rich.

It’s never been about quantity, but quality. That phrase has always stood out for me in life and it has really taken shape in recent days. Anyway, the point is that this man is just one of about 50 people that we’ve met here that almost immediately became our friends. And I’m not talking about the kind of friend that you meet randomly in South Florida, or New Orleans, or London, where you meet a million people a day and only one or two will maybe become your actual friend. I’m talking about someone willing to stick their neck out for you within five minutes of knowing you. Quality over quanity strikes again; the quality of people here absolutely crush the quantity of people that I’ve met anywhere. I said to Ben the other day, “Could you imagine how difficult it would be and how long it would take us to make this many friends anywhere else in this country? Could you imagine growing up somewhere like here and deciding to move to a big city like Miami? How tough would that be?”

Everyone here almost seems to know the meaning of life; which for me is quickly becoming happiness and belonging.

I read an article this evening that really hit home for me and for once, made me put this life, and the coming generations lives in perspective. It sparked the idea for this entire post in a matter of minutes.

The main subject of the article is this: Before the end of this century, our world will be facing the largest drought in this planet’s history (click here for article). Whether or not we will be prepared for it, is impossible to foresee. The dustbowl of the 1930’s will seem like a flowing river of Evian compared to what our children, and our children’s children will be facing.

The snowpack in the Rockies will diminish, skiing will be no more, and mountain life will be near impossible without enough snowmelt to provide fresh water during spring and summer months. Florida is slowly being swallowed by the ocean, parts of our rainforest will become desert, and over-whelming precipitation will drown parts of our world.

My message here isn’t to give up. It’s not to become a pessimist or stop doing your part to counter, what should be called “global-boiling” at this point. It’s to live your life to the fullest. We don’t know how long humans will be on this planet for, or even if we will see tomorrow’s sun.

Find your happiness, your true-self, and enjoy life to the fullest right now.

You get ONE chance to find your own meaning of life.