This week, my usual routine of digital scrolling and deep thinking collided in a profoundly enlightening way. A short reel, a conversation with a friend, and a powerful web series all pointed me toward a single, vital question: What is the true purpose of life?
Here’s the collection of wisdom that is reshaping how I view my own journey.
I came across a truly insightful perspective from an elderly person reflecting on the decades of life. The honesty was jarring, yet undeniable:
- In your 40s: You realize the neighborhood chaiwala (tea vendor) might be earning more than you—a reminder that value isn't always defined by conventional career paths.
- In your 50s: You realize that physical beauty is fleeting. It underscores that true self-worth must be rooted in something deeper than appearance.
- In your 60s: You realize a bigger house means bigger pain. A smaller, easier-to-maintain space offers more freedom and less stress.
- In your 70s: You realize your meticulously built bank balance is not for you; it's a legacy for the next generation.
- In your 80s: You realize you can afford every delicacy, yet your diet is limited to a few things, mostly medicines.
The stark takeaway? We are constantly losing time. This isn't a call for panic, but a fierce reminder to value the present moment and the experiences it holds.
This concept of "lost time" resonated deeply with a recurring conversation between my friend and me. We often wistfully look back at our final year of college and wish we had:
"Actually bunked classes and enjoyed more. We should have sought help to complete the final year project and spent that precious time going around, soaking up the last moments before 'real life' began."
It's the regret of choosing compliance over experience, but here is the essential clarification: While that wistfulness exists, I do not regret the effort.
I still believe that the hard work I put into that final year project made me profoundly more confident. I don't want to encourage anyone to pursue bunking classes at the expense of skill-building. You might regret missing out on fun, yes, but I have never regretted making something on my own.
The lesson isn't to slack off, but to find a better balance between focused effort and well-deserved enjoyment, because that kind of self-reliance and creation builds unparalleled confidence.
For years, when I ask myself, "What is my purpose?" my parents have given me a very practical answer: "To solve your own problems." While true, a recent web series offered a more expansive, beautiful perspective:
The real purpose of life is to seek knowledge, and then to impart it.
This shifts the focus from purely internal struggles to a cycle of learning and contribution. Seeking knowledge (or wisdom) becomes the great personal endeavor, and imparting it to the next generation becomes our moto. If we do this well, perhaps they won't have to spend as much time grappling with this same question.
The final piece of wisdom from the series was perhaps the most liberating: Embracing uncertainty is the only way to go forward.
I’m a planner. Yet, I sometimes feel like nothing goes according to my script. The elderly person's wisdom suggests that meticulous planning might be a form of seeking control over the uncontrollable.
Instead, the path forward is simple, yet challenging:
- Keep Seeking: Never stop learning.
- Keep Utilizing: Apply the knowledge you gain as best you can.
- Keep Imparting: Share the learnings and the lessons—especially the hard-won ones.
My plans may fail, but my purpose remains: to learn, to live, and to pass on the light.
What about you? What is the one piece of wisdom you've learned lately that has fundamentally shifted your perspective?
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