Live Life with Meaning?

I've always speculated on the meaning of life (yes, that's what I do in my spare time obviously!). 

 So I find myself asking these questions...

Just a pic I thought would go nice with this post

• What are we doing here?
• So... I'm going to die eventually, what do I do before then? 
• Do they have rotini in cream sauce in the afterlife?

But most of all...

• How do I live my life now so that when I leave I'll have no regrets? 

That's a WAY harder question to answer. And as I speculate, everyone will have their own opinion on that. Here's mine. 

HOW NOT TO DO IT

Some lost souls will dedicate their entire life to riches, luxury and fame. Their names will be remembered. They would've enjoyed all of life's luxuries. What else to hope for? 

But for them, I imagine at the end of the road, when they look back at their life, they might find that riches cannot be carried with them to death's door, and neither do the luxury in their lives matter any longer. 

In fact, under Buddhist teachings, one of the greatest contributors to unhappiness is desire. A life consumed by riches, by fame, is the basis of desire. No happiness to be found here. (Btw, desire is not to be confused with necessity) 

So basically, one who yearns for the above might find that they've spent half their lives wanting more and never quite enjoying how much more they already have. Or thinking about the people who don't have it and could use with a share.

Something that they want you to think you need.

I'm obviously being very general here, and there are bound to be great exceptions. But hey! Let's continue!

SO WHAT TO DO?

So the obvious lesson to take away from the above would be instead of concentrating on what you DON'T HAVE to appreciate what you DO HAVE. 

Guaranteed to make you happier by the second or your crabbiness back. 

Whenever I get the chance to, I always say this phrase that pretty much sums up my thoughts on this. 

The Only Way to Live Life is to Give it.

Once life is done and over with, and you look back on your years gone by, there are bound to be landmark moments that will be remembered forever. Maybe when your child was born, maybe marriage, maybe when you met a very good friend. But I think, when I go, I'll want to see also, the moments that I made a difference. Something positive. 

Maybe I volunteered for a great cause, maybe I saw someone through hardship, maybe I made my parents real happy, maybe I adopted someone who needed love. Maybe I changed somebody's life in a positive way.  

That's something I'll die real happy knowing I did with my life.

Because to be able to help another means I have something to help others with, and that, in itself, is a great luxury. 

Not everyone has the means to help. I'd feel real lucky to be able to.