What is a Meaningful Life?
What is a meaningfullife?
A thousand Hamlets inthe eyes of a thousand spectators.
People tend to havedifferent answer to this question in their life periods.
When I was still a boy,I used ride a buffalo back home. Looking up in the sky, I often saw anaeroplane flying over my head. Then I sang the children's song:
Aeroplane, aeroplane,
Take me to Peking today.
Having a meeting now,
Long love Chairman Mao.
In that time, I thought:
If I were a pilot, Iwould fly a fighter to defend my country,
If I were a cooker, I wouldcook good taste foods to people,
If I were a painter, I wouldpaint the most beautiful pictures to people,
If I were a teacher, I wouldteach my students very well,
If I can land a goodjob as above, then it is a meaningful life.
About ten years later,upon my graduation from university, I went from university to society. As ahighly educated person, I thought I had a lot of energy. I thought of ameaningful life as making much money through my brain and knowledge. Then I wouldbe able to treat my parents with filial respect, I can afford whatever theywant. I would enjoy financial freedom.
Today, I realize that ameaningful life means our continuous effort and commitment to our society. Itcan do well to our community, which in turn will enable us to lead a more meaningfullife.
Yes, the meaningfullife should be beneficial to the society. Virtually, it will be explained fromtwo vital perspectives. First, people with meaningful lives are humans who caneasily get along with others, and it is helpful to the society's steadiness. Onthe other hand, those virtuous people try to protect the environment, which is ofgreat significance to the future development. Therefore, the society can becomemore harmonious.
Second, it is the truththat people believing in meaningful life make more contribution to the society.For example, when the devastating earthquake struck Sichuan province in 2008,most of Chinese people tried their best to help Sichuanese by making a donation,rescuing people and providing food. That's the significance of meaningful life.
A meaningful life islike honey, which can bring the society much sweetness. As it is good for oursociety, we must make efforts to lead a meaningful life. With great power comes great responsibility, and great responsibility need great power! That’s alsothe reason why I returned my mother school for Ph.D. degree at 49 years old, nomatter of success or failure. I know, I can do it, and do it best.
