This post will be purposely short and to the point. It originates from a bit of journaling this morning. I like to start my day with a grateful practice, but my thoughts often turn to other questions about the meaning of our existence on this planet. Enough said, here is the journal from this morning:
Journal Entry
I am grateful for being alive today, and having the opportunity to live a more fulfilling life.
The question you must ask yourself is what is the purpose of all this? What do you mean by living a more fulfilling life?
Why am I here? Is it to fulfill a destiny, serve others, or to master my own philosophy?
Maybe it is all or none of the above. Maybe it’s as the Buddha taught to end suffering.
Whose suffering? Your own and all sentient beings.
How? For me it must be by writing and actions.
It’s not much of a reach to say we all have more than one purpose for living and these can be noble or selfish, or even some combination of the two. As humans we are fairly complex, possessing desires, dreams, and sometimes selfless motives for what we do.
There are many noble reasons to exist including:
- Service to your community
- Taking care of your family
- Showing compassion for others
- Being more mindful and spiritual
- Becoming a better human being through philosophy
On the other side of the coin exists our selfish or negative motives:
- The accumulation of wealth and material things
- Sensory desires like sex, drugs, drinking, etc.
- The desire to punish, belittle, and criticize those that are different from us
- Wrong thought such as anger, hate, or envy
- A preponderance of ego; thinking you are better than everyone else
The selfless or noble motives for your life result in happiness and the selfish in destruction. The choice is always yours alone.
Namaste
Joseph Sacco - The Stoic Buddhist 