Purpose and Forrest Gump

I have been talking much about the process of life. The meaning, and our purpose. A friend I have been discussing this with says that the process is meaningless. I remember also talking to another friend who did not believe in God or heaven and some of my girlfriends and myself wondering how could you live your life not believing in something?

Perhaps some of us just have to question the process even if it is not meant to be questioned. I am reading a book called “The Compassionate Universe” by Eknath Easwaran. He talks about having the urge to question his life and life purpose (and when I read it I thought, “oh good, I’m not alone!”) Here is part of what he writes:

“When we ask what the purpose of our lives is, we are told to have more things, to experience more sensations, to have fun, to become rich or powerful or famous. I looked at the lives of the men and women who led the world in literature, art, music, dance, politics, and science. I had admired these people since my freshman days, yet now I found that although they had sometimes achieved great things, their lives did not shine. They had not found a way to live without despair or depression. Some of the most famous had even judged life not worth living, while others found themselves in that most terrible of conditions, utter loneliness. Success had proved to be no shield against the ups and downs of life.”

So certainly we are not alone in the process of discovering that those things that are material are not what life is about, not what gives us meaning or purpose.

There is a part in Forrest Gump where Jenny is dying and he talks to her about all the beautiful places and moments he felt when he ran criss-cross across America, the beautiful Montana sunset, reflection of mountains in a lake, sound of the ocean, the colours of a fall day on the east coast, the beauty of the sunrise over a desert. Jenny looks at him and says, “I wish I could have been there with you.” He replies, “You were.”

If we live our moments in child like innocence as Forrest did and each one of those moments are looked upon as one never seen before, I can’t imagine that life would be anything but grandeur. If we hold onto love as our true salvation as Forrest did with Jenny, than our faith in our dreams and hopes for them to come true will always be eternal.

A good friend was commenting to me recently about how it was kinda cool when things happen that you are not prepared for. Even tragic things. I thought about this for awhile and tended to agree for it is in those moments, that one is truly living their life. It is in those moments we must trust our most inner wisdoms and are our truest of self.

I think we all have to ponder the question of life purpose, as it is part of the process of life, it is the key to open the door to the other side, because once there, the need to know is mute.

I had a very pleasant morning with my parents, we watched some world cup soccer and grand prix racing, talked some politics, and had a birthday breakfast for Nick.

Afterwards I worked in my yard, lay in the sun and read, then made a birthday dinner for Nick. Roast Beast with trimmings and yummy Chocolate mousse birthday cake to top it off.

Nick turned 22 today. How the time flies. This is one of the reasons why we must live in and cherish each moment.