We don’t just fight for survival, we fight for meaning and self-worth. (Dan Pedersen)
I was struck by the above quote found in mail I received in my inbox today from Medium. The title of the post was “Why We Fight” and came from the Personal Growth area of Medium. As one who is constantly baffled and confused about the whole question of life’s meaning, this got me thinking. I believe I’ve changed my views and thinking around this topic many times during my life. Since I’m a learning, growing human being, I believe that’s perfectly alright.
“Wisdom is merely the movement from fighting life to embracing it.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru
“Why We Fight” seems such an appropriate title for what we humans tend to be involved in most of our days. Making a living for a great percentage of the population involves a great amount of striving and fighting. Many of us know about getting up early in the morning, getting ready for work, rushing to get there, and putting in a full day’s work. We talk of “fighting the traffic” to get where we’re going. Then, we “fight the traffic” to get home at the end of the day. Some of us end up fighting traffic tickets or speeding tickets.
“To survive it is often necessary to fight and to fight you have to dirty yourself.” ~ George Orwell
On the bright side, it’s good to know that all this “fighting” is for something precious – “meaning and self-worth.” It seems to me that all of us, whether we are conscious of it or not, want to feel that our lives have meaning. We want to feel worthy in our own eyes and if we’re so blessed, share this gift with others. After all, there are skills, talents, and abilities that each of us have that we can share with others. When we share our gifts, we desire to see loving eyes looking back at us, perhaps in appreciation.
“I feel the capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance.” ―Pablo Casals
I like what Pablo Casals says about “the capacity to care” as being essential for a life with meaning. I’m sure that if a poll was taken though that each person would have a different take on what gives their own life meaning. So many factors are at work here. We are all male or female, different nationalities, have varying economic circumstances, genetic predispositions, personalities, and the like. What is meaningful to a person from one culture may not mean anything to a person from another. What of the choices we make in life and the cards we’re dealt? Maybe meaning cannot be pinned down.
“Life has no meaning. Each of us has meaning and we bring it to life. It is a waste to be asking the question when you are the answer.” ~ Joseph Campbell
I’ve heard many mothers say that their meaning in life comes from having family and children of their own. I’ve heard working people say that their meaning in life comes from their work. Many in leadership roles see their role as giving meaning to their life and to those who are following them. Basically, they are all talking about having found a purpose in their life. What they do for themselves and for others, day by day, is what makes living worthwhile.
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
Personally, while I’m still exploring this topic, I have found that “meaning and self-worth” can come in many different ways and in very different places. At home, it can come from family, at work, it can come from being productive and serving others, at a sports event, it can come from having fun watching the game along with others, and so forth.
I’m positive it’s something we all desire but we are the ones who give the meaning to the relationships and objects in our lives. It’s not something we have to go looking for and there’s no fighting involved here. Let’s just embrace life.
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ~ Joseph Campbell