Purpose of Life is what everyone seeks. A noted doctor once observed, "Medical science is giving us longer life, but no reason to live it."  Discovering the purpose of life is beyond the capacity of physical science.

      A person is born and learns to walk and talk, goes to school, gets a job, gets a home, has a family, raises the children, continues to work, eventually retires, and then dies.  Is this all there is to life? Something is missing and that is a reason for it all. What's the point?

      Philosophers and theologians have been discusing "the purpose of life" for thousands of years.  The only reasonable answer was put forth almost two centuries ago: " men are that they might have joy."

If the primary reason is to have joy and happiness, then one might ask: Just what is happiness?

    Happiness is used to describe a range of positive experiences, including joy, pride, contentment, and gratitude A noted psychology researcher defines happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.” 

     Every time we make a choice, it is for the option that we believe will lead to happiness or, at least, will be the least unpleasant. We make choices based on judgements of desire and aversion - good and evil. This same belief in good and evil leads us to feel guilt when we do not abide by the standards of our church or society. This is a condition which caused us to feel unworthy.

 There is no actual good or evil. They are arbitray standards. Standards that very from group to group and time to time. The condemnation comes from society and the guilt exists within ourselves. We create guilt and condemn ourselves. This one way we separate ourselves from happiness.

Nothing we can do will erase any acts or thoughts done in the past that are producing a feeling of guilt or sin today. The only way we can remove guilt from our consciousness is to forgive ourselves and love ourselves. If we do it will our whole consciousness, we will feel a sense of release and  joy within ourselves.

Okay, so being happy is what existence is all about. But what can I do to feel happy?

GET BUSY

Some of the greatest satisfaction is life comes from doing a job well. Create, produce things, solve problems, help others. Do what needs to be done and make sure that your existence makes a difference. Whether it is a career or just an immediate task, make it fulfilling. It is seldom the nature of the task that makes it unpleasant, but rather your attitude toward it. When we persist in doing something, it becomes easier. Not because the nature of the activity has changed, but because our ability to perform it has increased.

LOVE YOURSELF

This means to accept yourself exactly the way you are now. Do not lie to yourself and try to pretend that you are something other than what you are. Do not make excuses for yourself. But rather see yourself as you truly are and give yourself permission to be that. Love yourself, not for what you are or do, but simply love yourself because you are a child of God. God loves you just the way you are right now. If God can love, so can you.

While it is important to be aware of what you are doing, feeling and thinking, let your focus be upon others. Do not become self-centered.

GROW SPIRITUALLY

Attend church, pray, meditate, study. Remember, you are one with God and with your fellow beings. When you fully experience this, you will find yourself filled with the greatest joy ever.

Also remember, God wants you to be happy. Your happiness does not depend upon anything outside you.

Happiness is an emotion. You have complete control over your emotions and you can decide which emotion to feel at any given time.

Learn to feel happy and pay attention to yourself so that, if you begin to feel unhappy, you can quickly correct the feeling.

So, what is your purpose in life?

It is to be happy and to be a useful part of the dance of life. Corporate president, housewife or garbage collector. All are useful and all are necessary. Whatever your job, make it joyful.

"Ultimately, there is but one answer: God love you more than you can possibly know, and your duty is to love everyone else as much as you think God loves you." --Dr. John Rodgers