Antennating

Why do we try to find meaning in life? Why can’t just living without goals and aspiration be good enough? What makes our life worth living? If come to be, does a lack of meaning signify lack of motivation? Can I find peace without searching for a meaning?

Everyone has their own concoction of philosophies on how to live life or become successful, why to even chase success? Perhaps I have watch a few to many videos on nihilism and the absurdity of life. But let me cook. Perhaps you would be interested to give a thought on how being satisfied with life can become possible without seeking an explicit or implicit meaning.

Am I in a middle of existential crisis? Perhaps, but is it a “state” of chaos if it has lasted for longer than a decade or just a way of living with the chaos? Whatever be the case, let us imagine a life without meaning, but still living to the best of our ability. How can that be possible? Well, maybe by being the actor who enjoys and lives for the stage, but without being too worried about what act or role she/he plays. Simply giving the best of themselves to the art and when the act is done, the costume and makeup goes away, only to be replaced for the new role in a new act.

It matters not what the story of the act is, how “moving” it is to the audience or what role you get to play when you go to the stage. To not care about these mundane things, and to still enjoy your art form, challenging but indeed possible. It can become peaceful like a deep meditation. The devotion to the art itself is peaceful. To devote yourself, lose yourself for the sake of the act and when it ends, it’s not an end; just a reset and to move to the next stage.

Similarly is the case for our life, firstly it is important to recognize the absurdity in searching for a synthetic meaning. Do not forget this absurd feeling in your mind of being lost and searching for logic and meaning when there exists none. Then comes the dedication, not to find success or meaning, but to simply live, to enjoy each second on the stage. To jump from one act to another, is the same as living everyday, but not seeking meaning in the life or act, but still living and giving your best.

Well, easier said than done, we are accustomed to forcing numbers, goals and meaning to our life. We see all the other people and actors being devoted to the same act, the same role, to become the greatest actor for them is to play the best role in the best act and get applauded and recognized by the audience.

But is it so for everyone? Should that be the only way? Why can’t we learn to love the stage, but not any single act or role, to not become monotonous, to love the art of living, without attaching a role or act to it?

Perhaps, it is too much to ask from the stage to provide us the meaning for its existence, much more it is to ask it why do we choose to act? It doesn’t have them. Nor do we need to have a meaning to truly enjoy our art.