A great deal can be learned by walking on a college campus today about the human race as a whole. My particular college campus is a great example of the wide varieties of ways the meaning of existence is defined. Walking down the main street, conversations can be overheard that seem to be small talk on the surface, but are in reality a symptom of how individuals have put meaning to their inhales and exhales and steps and tasks.
On any particular day of the week at any particular time, anyone can walk down this main street and observe something like this intriguing scene.
On the newspaper stands are headlines preaching the end of Wall Street as we know it with photographs of distressed stockbrokers with their heads in their hands as to say, “What I live for is crumbling before me.” Existence finds meaning in the well being of our financial system. Or does it?
Next to this newspaper stand is a group of young men who laugh and smirk and I hear one of them say, “You actually f***ed her? No way, man.” Then the guy he is talking to simply laughs and says, “Seriously, man.” The meaning of existence is wrapped up in the well being of our sex lives. Or is it?
Walking with one of her friends, a girl wearing a “Delta Gamma” hat says, “It was the worst tasting margarita I have ever had in my life. I decided to have vodka instead and I got so plastered.” Night after night, she lets a liquid drown her thoughts to oblivion. Existence means something when what we live for is to not remember living. Or does it?
Sitting on the curb, a guy says to his friend, “I can’t believe she actually drinks. I can’t believe she is in a sorority. I can’t believe he has sex with his girlfriend. I can’t believe she is a Democrat. I can’t believe he is a Republican. I can’t believe she smokes pot. I can’t believe she is an atheist. I can’t hang out with them or love them anymore.” Day after day, he lets his pride show itself in judgment. Existence is defined in how good we look in comparison to other people or how much we can stick to our comfortable groups or how much we can judge other people. Or is it?
It is so interesting to observe the ways we put definition to the root of existence, whether that is in the way we pride ourselves in doing “bad” things or in being too good for the people doing “bad” things.
I am wholeheartedly convinced that the root of existence does not lie in either of these things. I am convinced that the meaning of our existence is defined by the way we love Jesus and love each other. I am convinced that our existence is defined in the way we love Jesus with all of our hearts, intellects, money, things, strength, and time.
I am also wholeheartedly convinced that if we do this we will, in turn, love our neighbors/enemies/friends/foes with all of our hearts, intellects, money, things, strength, and time.
This is the beautiful existence I am convinced of.
