Excellence Reporter: Emily, what is the meaning of life?

Emily Maroutian: As a philosopher, I hear this question a lot. I usually follow it up with questions of my own. What do you mean by meaning? Do you mean purpose for existence or the definition of existence? What do you mean by life? Only humans? Are animals included? What about bacteria and viruses? Technically, they’re life, too. What is the purpose of non-life? What is the purpose of a table or a rock? 

Now that I’ve thoroughly confused them, I usually start with something like this … imagine you’re Infinite intelligence. You’re all that exists in existence. How boring would that be? To go on and on and on, alone, with nothing else to play with, to communicate with, to love, to enjoy, to have fun with.

But then, what if you figured out a way to split your consciousness into trillions of pieces, rebirth yourself, and give yourself amnesia just so you could experience things you could never know otherwise? Just so you could experience finiteness, vulnerability, fear, confusion, and loss. Since you’re infinite, all-knowing, everywhere at all times, this would be a valuable experience for you. To be human, to be flawed, to be lost and confused. To be an eagle, to be a tree, to be the worm on the ground. To have eyes, ears, and sensations everywhere experiencing everything all at once. What a treasure of experiences and new wisdom!

Now, pieces of yourself bump up against each other on this stage called Earth, hurting each other, loving each other, laughing together, crying over each other, all the while nothing is ever separate or disconnected from its true nature. All the while it’s you doing it to yourself. And once these pieces are done adding to the wisdom of infinite intelligence, they return right back to it. No one harmed, no one left behind, no one left unloved. 

To answer the question simply: we are God having fun—laughing, learning, loving, living. What is the meaning of life? To live it.

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~Emily Maroutian is an award-winning writer, poet, and philosopher. She has authored several bestselling books within the fields of personal development and philosophy. She has studied both subjects for over a decade, developing a notable ability of simplifying complicated concepts and turning them into useful resources for self-improvement and healing. 

She is also the founder of Maroutian Entertainment, a multimedia company that produces empowering and uplifting material through books, courses, and other media. Their projects center on the idea that we all have the power to better the world through bettering ourselves. 
www.maroutian.com

©Excellence Reporter 2022