What I Think Is The Purpose of Human Life

By Francoise Bosteels

I believe that the whole unfolding universe is embraced by the Divine Mystery. Our Creator’s energy, dynamism, love and imagination are present and expressed in the beauty of billions of brilliant stars and galaxies, in the sun, and in the smallest of atoms. Without sun, there would be no living thing on this earth. There would be no love relation between the sun and the sunflower, no care of mother owl for her newborn babies. The unfolding universe has brought into being such a diversity of life, of flowers, of birds, and much closer in time, of human beings. We are gifted with consciousness and memory, with love and compassion, with talents, creativity and imagination, with wisdom, responsibility and freedom. Each human being is the Creator’s gift.

How do we develop and nurture these gifts? Depending on the environment, on love received or denied, on education and culture, these gifts packed in the newborn baby will be nurtured and flourish or will be denied and wither.

It is up to us humans to listen with an open heart to the gentle voice, inviting us to acknowledge the sacredness of all reality, of the earth, the mountains and the valleys, the forests and the trees, the sacredness of the oceans and the rivers, the elephants, the birds, the squirrels—and of all other living things on the earth. It is up to us humans to acknowledge the sacrednessand dignity of all human beings, with no distinction of caste, class, age, gender, religion, culture and nationality. Our meaning of life and purpose lies in nurturing, embracing and developing those Divine gifts. We shall then live in solidarity and communion; we shall then care for one another with love and compassion; we shall labor together, dance and celebrate life with joy and thanksgiving.

In reality, there is much injustice and suffering in our world. A lot of life is getting destroyed and going extinct. Thus, resisting injustice and protecting the world becomes the purpose of life for all of us. Many put their art forms and education at the service of social transformation and join movements voicing their resistance to the destruction of all forms of life. Others organize organic farming, and many others engage in other creative activities to bring back to life our wounded mother earth. In this quest for justice many find purpose and meaning.

Finally, to find a purpose and meaning in life very much relates to who we are and what our vision of life is based on experience and not on definitions. Different people articulate their own meaning and purpose of life, which may so much differ from person to person.

(Born in Belgium in 1942, Francoise Bosteels presently stays in Bangalore. Her weblog www.francoisebosteels.blogspot.com gives information about her art work that is inspired by people’s day-to-day life experiences)